Alternanthera reineckii 'Lilacina' Care Guide
Alternanthera reineckii 'Lilacina' is a stem plant with reddish-purple stems and longer, narrower leaves that flush pink to red under strong light.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Alternanthera reineckii 'Lilacina' is a cultivar of the South American stem plant A. reineckii (family Amaranthaceae). Its stems are a striking reddish-purple that contrasts with brownish-green leaves; compared with other reineckii forms, 'Lilacina' has narrower and longer leaves, and under good conditions new leaves take on pink-to-red hues.
Taxonomy
- Family: Amaranthaceae
- Genus: Alternanthera
- Scientific name: Alternanthera reineckii 'Lilacina'
- Common synonyms: Alternanthera rosaefolia (within the species)
Habitat
The parent species is native to South America, growing in submerged and semi-aquatic habitats such as marshes and stream banks and reaching about 30 cm in height.
Growth requirements
- Water type: freshwater
- Temperature: 20-28 °C (68-82 °F)
- pH: 6.0-7.5
- GH: 2-12 °dGH
- Lighting: medium (moderate to high); bright light enhances red and magenta hues
- CO2: not required but highly recommended for the most vibrant colours
The plant is hardy but prefers stable parameters and a quality plant substrate. Bright light is important to avoid loss of lower leaves and to bring out colour.
Placement
Reaching roughly 20-30 cm (the KB record lists up to 30 cm), it is best used as a mid- to background stem plant. Its warm purple-red tones provide colour contrast against green plants.
Propagation
Like other Alternanthera reineckii forms it is propagated by cuttings: top and side shoots are trimmed and replanted to build a denser group.
Propagating Alternanthera reineckii 'Lilacina' from Cuttings
Overview
Alternanthera reineckii is an aquatic plant in the family Amaranthaceae, native to South America, where it populates submerged and semi-aquatic habitats such as marshes, stream banks and ponds. Several cultivars are grown as ornamental aquarium plants, and 'Lilacina' is one of them — a broad-leaved form with a brownish-purple top and a reddish underside used for warm color contrast in the midground.
Because 'Lilacina' is a clonal cultivar, it does not come true from seed; the only reliable way to multiply it is vegetatively, taking cuttings that carry the parent's exact leaf shape and color.
Propagation Method (Cuttings)
Like all stem plants, Alternanthera can be propagated by cutting off the top few centimetres of a stem and planting it directly into the substrate; new buds and roots then grow from the internodes. Once a plant gets tall enough you can prune off the tops and replant them for easy propagation.
Step-by-Step
- Choose a healthy, well-colored stem and cut the top 5–10 cm with clean, sharp scissors.
- Strip the leaves from the lowest 2–3 cm of the cutting so they will not rot under the substrate.
- Plant each cutting deeply, at least a few centimetres into the substrate, spacing them out rather than burying a single dense bunch.
- Leave the trimmed base in place — it will send out side shoots that thicken the original clump.
- Mature stems that have already produced side shoots can also be cut off and replanted once they are a few centimetres in size.
Conditions for Healthy Growth
'Lilacina' is among the easiest red Alternanthera to grow and does fine in low-tech tanks, but coloration improves dramatically under high light, fertilizers and extra iron. CO2 injection helps overall growth and the plant tolerates very strong lighting — around 100 PAR will not burn the leaves.
Trimming & Maintenance
When the bottom stems stay healthy you can trim a clump once, twice, even three times. After about three trims it is generally time to replant: cut and replant the colorful tops and discard the old stems and roots to refresh the group.
Common Challenges
The most common problem is loss of red color and deterioration of shaded lower leaves. Low light or low iron pushes the plant green; thinning the clump, raising iron and light, and replanting tops when lower stems decline keeps the warm purple-red tone.