Ludwigia Meta care guide
Ludwigia Meta (Ludwigia 'Meta') — medium light, 20-28 °C, pH 6-7.5, no CO2.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Ludwigia Meta (Ludwigia 'Meta') is a broad-leaved plant of the family Onagraceae, grown as an aquarium plant. Hybrid Ludwigia with strong reddish-orange tones and slightly broader leaves than L. repens. Easy to grow and one of the most accessible red-leaved stem plants for low-tech setups.
Taxonomy
- Family: Onagraceae
- Genus: Ludwigia
- Scientific name: Ludwigia 'Meta'
- Common synonyms: Ludwigia palustris x repens
Habitat
Ludwigia is a cosmopolitan genus of stem plants in the evening-primrose family, growing in marshes, ditches and slow waters; several species develop intense red foliage under strong light and nutrient-rich conditions. In the Aquairi knowledge base this species is recorded from cultivated origin (nursery hybrid).
Growth requirements
- Lighting: medium
- CO2: not required
- Temperature: 20-28 °C (68-82 °F)
- pH: 6-7.5
- GH: 3-12 °dGH
- Substrate: nutrient-rich aquasoil
- Maximum height: 40 cm
- Growth rate: fast
- Nutrient demand: medium
- Recommended placement: background
- Typical trim interval: 10 days
Placement
In aquascapes this plant suits the background. It is a midground-to-background stem plant grown in groups; high light, CO2 and adequate iron deepen the red and bronze tones, while shaded growth stays greener.
Propagation
This species is propagated by cuttings, with side shoots forming below the cut point to thicken the bush; lateral shoots can be detached and replanted.
Common issues
Pale or pinholed leaves point to micro-nutrient or iron deficiency; dropping lower leaves usually reflects shading within a dense stand, eased by thinning and stronger lighting.
Propagating Ludwigia 'Meta' from Cuttings
Overview
Ludwigia 'Meta' is an easy hybrid of Ludwigia palustris and Ludwigia repens, with strong reddish-orange tones and slightly broader leaves than L. repens. It is one of the most accessible red-leaved stem plants for low-tech setups and a fast grower.
As a palustris hybrid it propagates exactly like its parents: by stem cuttings. L. palustris is a vigorous circumpolar perennial whose semi-succulent reddish stems reach 10-40 cm and root at the nodes, which is why Meta multiplies so readily.
Propagation Method (Cuttings)
Like its L. palustris parent, Meta branches willingly and is easily replanted and propagated through the cut-offs. Topping a stem removes the growing tip and triggers side shoots lower down, while the removed top roots fast to become a new plant.
Step-by-Step
- Cut a healthy stem at a node below the final height you want, using clean scissors.
- Take the top 5-10 cm and strip the lower leaves so the bare stem buries cleanly.
- Stagger cuts shorter at the front and taller at the back to create a natural slope.
- Replant the tops in nutrient-rich substrate, spacing them to bush out into a group.
- Trim outlying base shoots that break the slope as the cluster fills in.
Conditions for Healthy Growth
Meta grows in lower light but, like other palustris-type reds, higher light (around 70-80 umol PAR) deepens colour and encourages more side shoots. It can be grown without CO2 injection, though CO2 improves colouration, and it tolerates a wide range of water parameters. Feed at the root zone or in the water column.
Trimming & Maintenance
Because Meta is fast-growing, expect to top it often (roughly every ten days). Replant the tops, let the bases rebush, and remove shoots that do not match the cluster slope to keep tidy clusters. The emersed grown form differs from the submersed one, so new tops need a brief adaptation period after planting.