Ludwigia Repens (Ludwigia repens) Care Guide
An attractive stem plant with leaves that range from green to deep red depending on light intensity. One of the easiest red plants to grow, thriving even without CO2 injection.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Ludwigia repens is an aquatic plant in the family Onagraceae. An attractive stem plant with leaves that range from green to deep red depending on light intensity. One of the easiest red plants to grow, thriving even without CO2 injection.
Taxonomy
- Family: Onagraceae
- Genus: Ludwigia
- Scientific name: Ludwigia repens
- Other names: Creeping Primrose-Willow
Habitat
Native to wetlands of the Americas, where it grows as a creeping mat-forming herb rooting at the nodes along the margins of slow waters and damp banks.
Growth requirements
- Light: medium (≈50-80 PAR at substrate)
- CO2: optional (CO2 improves growth and coloration)
- Temperature: 20-28 °C
- pH: 6-7.5
- GH: 3-12 °dGH
- Substrate: nutrient-rich aquasoil or fertilised gravel
- Nutrient demand: low
- Growth rate: medium
- Difficulty: beginner
Placement
- Recommended placement: midground
- Maximum height: 30 cm
- Trim every: 14 days
Propagation
In cultivation the plant is propagated by stem cuttings (replant the upper portion after trimming).
Propagating Ludwigia Mullertii: A Cuttings Guide
Overview
Ludwigia mullertii is a naturally occurring hybrid between Ludwigia repens and L. arcuata. L. repens is a mat-forming perennial herb with a creeping stem up to about 30 cm long that roots at the nodes when they touch wet substrate, while L. arcuata contributes its narrower foliage. The result is a moderate-growing stem plant whose upper leaves turn pinkish-red to deep red under strong light, creating an attractive ombre effect.
Propagation Method (Cuttings)
Like other Ludwigia, this hybrid is propagated vegetatively by stem cuttings. When a stem is trimmed, new growth starts on the remaining piece, and the cut tip readily develops several roots along its length, so each cutting becomes an independent plant. Because the natural stem roots at nodes that contact the substrate, replanted tops establish quickly.
Step-by-Step
- Choose a healthy stem and cut the top 5-10 cm just below a leaf node using clean scissors.
- Strip the leaves from the lowest 2-3 cm of the cutting to expose bare nodes.
- Plant the bare nodes a couple of centimeters into nutrient-rich substrate.
- Leave the trimmed mother stem in place; it will send out side shoots from the base.
- Keep light and liquid fertilizer high so the new top reddens as it grows.
Conditions for Healthy Growth
To bring out the red and orange tones, give the plant plenty of light together with liquid fertilizer, including iron, potassium and an all-round nutrient supplement. CO2 is not strictly required for this beginner-friendly hybrid, but adding it almost always improves growth and vitality. The plant can also grow emersed above the waterline; submersed growth shows the strongest coloration.
Trimming & Maintenance
Top the plant roughly every two weeks. Each trim both controls height and supplies fresh cuttings, while the base thickens into a bushier group as it pushes new side shoots. Remove any lower stems that have lost leaves or gone brown to keep the stand dense and healthy.
Common Challenges
- Pale or green tops usually mean too little light or insufficient iron.
- Lower leaves browning and dropping is common with shading from the canopy above.
- Slow, leggy growth points to low nutrients; raise fertilizer or consider CO2.
Ludwigia Repens Propagation Guide: Cuttings for Red Stems
Overview
Ludwigia repens is a mat-forming perennial herb with a creeping stem up to 30 centimetres long that roots at the nodes where they contact wet substrate. The leaves are oppositely arranged and up to 4 to 5 centimetres long, and it is native to parts of the Americas.
In high lighting, the leaves at the top of the plant grow pinkish-red to deep red, creating a unique ombre effect. It is a fast grower that is not picky about water parameters, which makes it a good indicator plant for nutrient levels.
Propagation Method (Cuttings)
Propagation is done with cuttings. Cut the stem at a node some distance below the final height you want the plant to reach, then replant the top. New shoots appear at the base of the cut stem, so a single plant steadily multiplies.
Removing the top encourages lateral buds to develop, branching the stem into a bushier form. Higher light, at least some CO2 (10 ppm and up) and well-balanced higher-nutrient fertilisation all increase branching and side shoots, producing denser bushes after repeated pruning.
Step-by-Step
- Cut a healthy stem at a node, leaving 5 to 10 cm of top growth.
- Strip the lower leaves so a clean node can sit in the substrate and root.
- Replant the top directly; stagger heights, shorter at the front and taller at the back, for a sloped cluster.
- As new shoots appear at the base of the cut stem, trim off any outlying shoots that break the slope.
- Repeat over several cycles to build tidy, dense clusters.
Conditions for Healthy Growth
The plant is not particularly fussy about water parameters but requires higher light to show good colouration; around 70 to 80 umols of PAR is sufficient for good colour, and higher levels also drive more side shoots. CO2 is optional, yet adding at least 10 ppm improves both colour and branching.
Trimming & Maintenance
After cutting, new shoots emerge at the base of the stem. Cut off any outlying shoots that do not match the slope of the cluster, and over time this produces tidy clusters of plants. Replant vigorous tops whenever lower stems start to shade out and weaken.
Common Challenges
Without enough light the plant stays green instead of red, since the colour is light-driven. Because it converts between emersed and submerged growth, newly added stems may reshape or shed leaves as they adapt; keep light and nutrients steady and the submerged growth will colour up.