Green Rotala

A purely green Rotala with a weeping habit, this form entered the trade as Rotala sp. 'Green' and is treated as a form of the very variable Rotala rotundifolia. Submersed shoots grow upright for a stretch, then bow down in an overhanging arc, and unlike many relatives the plant always produces just two leaves at each node. Trade caution applies: other green-leaved forms of R. rotundifolia sold as 'Green' often keep a reddish hue and grow strictly upright, so the purely green, weeping appearance is the real identifier. That graceful curve makes it an interesting design feature in background and midground groups. It grows fast and is easy to propagate from cuttings, reaching up to about 80 cm when left untrimmed, and it tolerates a very wide temperature range, from about 4 °C up to 32 °C, so it can even be kept in outdoor ponds during the warm season. A moderate CO2 supply is optional, and within its optimum band it does well in temperatures of 22 to 28 °C with a pH of 4.5 to 7.5.