Variegated Macrandra

Variegated macrandra is a colour-form of the classic Rotala macrandra, distinguished by cream-to-pink patches that interrupt the usual red leaf pigmentation. Each leaf is a mix of green, pink, and pale sectors, making this one of the few plants that offers variegation in a fully submersed stem. Flowgrow publishes an optimum temperature of 24 to 28 °C and pH from 4.5 to 7, with high light and CO2 supplementation in the 20–40 mg/l range needed to keep the variegation stable. Under lower light the new leaves revert to solid green, and the plant behaves like a standard rotala. Growth is fast when conditions are right — twice-weekly trimming is normal in a high-tech setup. It is placed in the background or midground, where the contrast between variegated and solid-red stems creates a layered effect. Nitrate at 10–50 mg/l and phosphate at 0.1–3 mg/l cover the nutritional side; iron is worth monitoring because poor iron availability causes the pale sectors to turn translucent and melt. Propagation is straightforward: cut the top half of a stem and replant it. The lower half throws side shoots and fills in. This plant is not difficult in the demanding sense, but it does require consistent CO2 and light — if either fluctuates, the variegation is the first thing to go.