Rotala macrandra “Mini Butterfly” [Tc]

Rotala sp ?Nanjeshan? A native of Taiwan, but endemic to an island in Taiwan, Nanjean or Najean. This plant is believed to be a natural hybrid between R. rotundifoila and R. wallichi.? The emergent leaves are green in colour and narrower. Even though it looks like R. wallichi at first glance, in close scrutin , it can be realized that the leaves are much boarder than that of R. wallichi. The submerged leaves turn yellowish green with a pink hue under bright light. Under submerged conditions, the leaves are narrowly lanceolate. The leaves of R. wallichi will be needle shaped and dark pink when the plant adapts to submerged conditions. A good choice for midground position in aquarium. Good light, nutrient rich substrate and CO2 injection can promote bushy growth. An easy plant it is.

Pearlweed is a bright green, low-growing stem plant perfect for beginners. It is a versatile species which can be used for both foreground, midground and background. Constant pruning will keep it low growing and spread runners horizontally. This plant grows best with moderate light and CO2 levels around 6-14ppm. However, pearlweed can usually get all the nutrients it needs from a nutrient-enriched substrate and healthy fish colony. For super dense growth, use high light and CO2. Bright light will yield bushy growth, while moderate light yields looser, upward growth. Once your pearlweed is established it will need to be pruned, as it can grow unruly when left unchecked. This plant will tolerate substantial pruning, so you can let it grow large and dense and then trim it into a desired shape if you wish.