Pantanal Ludwigia

Ludwigia inclinata var. verticillata 'Pantanal' stops growing outright if its feeding lapses. Keep macro- and micronutrients available. A shortage of iron shows up first as smaller, duller leaves and then as white new growth. This plant requires attentive care. The plant is one of many forms of Ludwigia inclinata, set apart by finely divided foliage, and it comes from the Pantanal wetlands of southwestern Brazil. Grown above the waterline it is plain, with green ovate leaves; submersed it turns pink to red, which is the whole reason to keep it. Its conditions are specific. Strong light across the stem group, a stable added CO₂ supply, very soft water and a suitable acidic root zone are suitable cultivation conditions. The optimum is 24 to 28 °C and pH 4.5 to 7. Under strong light the stems run vertically, which its relative 'Cuba' does not do, and it is the less robust of the two: where 'Cuba' can crowd a tank, this one rarely does. When the conditions hold it grows fast enough to need trimming on a schedule. Propagate by cuttings. Aquascapers use it mainly for red accents in soft-water layouts such as Tonina tanks, and it turns up only rarely in Nature Aquarium or Dutch styles.