Rotala Rotundifolia Orange Juice
Common Name: Rotala Rotundifolia Orange Juice, Rotala OJ
Photos show plant in emersed vs. submerged form.
Rotala Rotundifolia Orange Juice hails from Italy. This aquatic stem plant is similar to its popular relative, Rotala Rotundifolia, but features bright orange coloration as its name states. Rotala Rotundifolia Orange Juice can be grown submerged or emersed and will produce rounder leaves when grown in its emersed form. When submerged, Rotala species sprout longer and more narrow leaves that pair extremely well against other green aquatic plants. When dosing high iron and Plant Food fertilizer, this stem plant can develop its intense coloration. This plant is perfect for background placement and can add some nice contrast to the usual green plants. It's best planted densely by separating the bundles into individual stems and spacing them out about half an inch apart to allow each stem enough space to grow. When planted in groups, it has a dazzling effect as a thick red bush in your aquascape.
Propagation is like any other stem plant, simply cut anywhere along the stem and replace. This plant grows relatively fast so frequent pruning is recommended to keep it growing thick and prevent the bottom leaves from getting starved off of lighting.
Notes:
- Rotala has fragile leaves! Be sure to handle with care.
- Final coloration is ultimately dependent upon the conditions this plant is kept in. This is a live plant meaning size, shape and color may vary.
- Do not make drastic changes to the aquarium. Unstable parameters will result in melt and rotting of the aquarium plant.
- Please be sure to remove this plant from its wrap. Remove the foam surrounding the roots and plant into a quality substrate. For instructions on how to properly prep “bunched“ aquarium plants, click here.
- CO2 injection and quality aquarium soil will yield better growth.
- Please research appropriately to ensure your plant thrives.
Family Name: Lythraceae
Origin: Southeast Asia
Height: 4-8”
pH: 6.5-7.5
Care: Easy
Light: High
Co2: 20-30ppm
Propagation: Cuttings
Growth Rate: Fast