Propagating Ludwigia glandulosa from Cuttings

A guide to multiplying the deep wine-red North American stem plant Ludwigia glandulosa by cuttings while holding its demanding colour.

Overview

Ludwigia glandulosa belongs to the family Onagraceae and is native to the southeastern United States, where it grows in wetlands, swamps and roadside ditches. It is an amphibious plant that can grow partially or fully submerged and reaches roughly 40 cm.

It is often sold under false names such as 'Ludwigia perennis' or 'Ludwigia peruensis'. In the aquarium it is more demanding than most other Ludwigias and grows relatively slowly, producing strong, largely unbranched upright shoots.

Propagation Method (Cuttings)

Ludwigia glandulosa is propagated by cuttings. Because the upright stems are hardly branched, you create new plants by topping and replanting the cut sections rather than relying on heavy self-branching.

Step-by-Step

Cut the top 5-10 cm from a well-coloured stem just above a node.
Strip the lowest leaves to expose clean nodes for rooting.
Push the cutting a few centimetres into a nutrient-rich substrate.
Plant a group of individual stems of different heights a few centimetres apart for a natural look.
Keep the parent base in place to harvest any new basal shoots later.

Conditions for Healthy Growth

Strong lighting, a complete macro- and micronutrient supply through both the water column and substrate, and CO2 addition are recommended. Optimal temperature is about 22-25 °C within a tolerated range of roughly 10-27 °C.

Colour is light-driven: under a lot of light the leaves turn a strong wine-red, while under less light they become more olive-green with a wine-red underside. Ample iron supports the deepest red.

Trimming & Maintenance

Trim by topping the slow-growing stems and replanting the healthy tops to renew the group. Spacing stems of varied heights keeps light reaching lower leaves so colour stays even through the stand.

Common Challenges

Loss of red and a shift to olive-green signals insufficient light or iron. Its slow growth and high demands make it sensitive to fertilization gaps, so keep CO2, macros and micros steady before expecting strong colour.