Care specifications
| Type | Stem |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Light | High (40–80 µmol PAR) |
| CO2 | Beneficial, not required |
| Fertilizer demand | Medium |
| Growth rate | Medium |
| Max height | 12 in |
| Spread | 2 in |
| Placement | Midground, Background |
| Attaches to hardscape | No |
| Snail & shrimp safe | Yes |
| Temperature | 60–78 °F |
| pH | 6–7.5 |
| Color | Red |
| Trimming | Regular |
| Styles | Nature, Dutch |
Get Ludwigia Arcuata
Propagation
Top and replant stems; cuttings root within a week or two and the bases regrow side shoots.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my Ludwigia arcuata green and leggy instead of red and bushy?
Light intensity is almost the whole story with this species. Under moderate light it grows green, sparse, and stretched; under high light at the substrate it tightens up and shifts orange-red. CO2 and iron help, but they cannot substitute for light.
Is Ludwigia arcuata the same as Rotala for aquascaping purposes?
They fill a similar fine-textured midground role, but arcuata branches less aggressively and holds a needle-like leaf that reads spikier than Rotala's soft ovals. Many scapers mix the two — Rotala for volume, arcuata for accents of contrasting texture.
Ludwigia Arcuata appears in
Find plants for your tank
Four questions — size, light, CO2, goals — and a ranked list matched to your exact setup.
Open the plant finder →