Alternanthera Bettzickiana Red on Clay Moss Ball

Plant Profile

Common Names: Alternanthera Bettzickiana Red on Clay Moss Ball, Calico Plant, Parrot Leaf

**Alternanthera Bettzickiana Red is a terrestrial plant. It cannot be submerged underwater long-term and does its best in high-humidity setups**

If you want to inject a blast of fiery color into your scape without the usual high-maintenance drama, this artistic combo is a great pick. We have nestled a vibrant stem of Alternanthera bettzickiana 'Red' onto a 2-inch terra cotta sphere that is wrapped in a velvety cushion of Christmas Moss. Unlike temperamental red aquatic plants that require complex setups, this variety keeps its rich, eye-catching red and deep pink coloration with relative ease when grown in the air. The leaves feature a beautiful, slight waviness and a ruffled, frilled edge that gives the plant immense personality and architectural character. Sitting atop the rolling green mound of moss, it provides a stunning high-contrast focal point that instantly breaks up the monotony of standard green enclosures.

Key Features & Benefits

• The combination of frilled, fiery red leaves sitting directly above a dense, deep green carpet of Christmas Moss provides an immediate pop of high-contrast drama.
• Both the Alternanthera and the surrounding moss work together to actively absorb nitrates and phosphates from your misting water, helping keep your enclosure clean and healthy.
• The porous clay core and surrounding moss cushion naturally trap moisture, creating a self-sustaining microclimate that releases consistent humidity right around the plant's root system.

Care & Planting Instructions

• Place the 2-inch clay ball directly onto your damp substrate or nestle it among your hardscape in terrariums, vivariums, or paludariums, keeping the foliage strictly above the water line.
• As long as the Christmas Moss stays wet and receives light, it will grow easily. Provide regular misting to keep the ambient humidity high and ensure the underlying moss ball remains damp and thriving.
• While regular aquarium moss handles low light beautifully, the Alternanthera requires high light to display its absolute best red coloration. If lighting is severely lacking, the leaves will dull out to an orange hue.
• Unlike typical setups that limit nutrients, this plant heavily prefers high nitrates and high phosphates. Regularly dosing a dedicated fertilizer like UNS Plant Food into your misting routine will drastically speed up growth and keep the fiery red coloration at its peak.
• Snip the top stems of the Alternanthera to encourage a bushier, more compact look. You can press those cuttings right into damp soil to grow new plants, or trim the moss to use elsewhere.

Quick Facts

Listed information should be treated as general guidelines only. Team Buce Plant encourages you to do thorough research to ensure healthy growth!

• Family Name: Amaranthaceae (Alternanthera) & Hypnaceae (Moss)
• Origin: South America (Cultivated Combo)
• Growth Rate: Moderate
• Lighting Needs: Medium to High (High light required for best red color)
• Temperature Range: 72 to 82° Fahrenheit
• pH Range: 6.0 to 7.5
• Care: Easy
• Co2: Not necessary
• Propagation: Stem cuttings for Alternanthera / Cut or rip moss clumps