Red Cabomba

Native to the warm, soft waters of Central and South America, Cabomba furcata forms loose, feathery whorls of finely divided red leaves that stand out against the usual green background stems.

Cabomba furcata needs stronger light than many stem plants — under insufficient light the lower stem sheds leaves and the red tones fade to a pale olive green. Aquarium pH should stay between 5 and 6.8, with soft, slightly acidic water matching its South American origins. Temperature range is 24 to 30 °C for steady growth. CO₂ injection at 20 to 40 mg/l is practically required; without it the plant grows slowly and rarely keeps its lower leaves.

Propagation is straightforward: top cuttings replanted in the substrate will root within a week. The parent stem then branches below the cut. Regular trimming keeps the plant bushy rather than sending a single stem straight to the water surface, where it will break the surface and grow small floating leaves.

A nutrient-rich substrate and consistent iron dosing help maintain the red colour — iron deficiency shows as pale new growth before anything else. It cannot grow emersed and is not winter hardy, so it is strictly an indoor aquarium plant.