Ludwigia Ovalis

Quick facts

Identity

Also known as

Red Ludwigia

Environment

Freshwater

Native to

China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan

Habitat

Slow-moving rice paddies, ditches and pond margins; grows creeping on moist to wet soil or fully submersed in cooler waters

Sourcing

Aquacultured

Conservation

Not Evaluated

Care

Care level

Moderate

Growth form

Stem

Max height

4 – 16 in (10 – 41 cm)

Spread

3 in (7.6 cm)

Growth rate

Fast

Placement

Midground, Foreground

Water

Temperature

64 – 82 °F (18 – 28 °C)

pH

5.0 – 7.0

GH

1 – 12 dGH

dKH

1 – 7 dKH

PAR

30 – 60 PAR

Flow

Moderate

Light

Medium

CO₂

Beneficial

Planting

Substrate

Nutrient-rich preferred

Feeds from

Both

Fertilizer needs

Medium

Colors

Pink, Orange, Red, Green

Feeding & breeding

Propagation

Cuttings

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Care guide

Overview

Reaching roughly 4 to 16 inches with a compact, low spreading habit, this stem plant carries oval, alternate leaves that shift from gold to orange, pink and red under adequate iron and light. It suits the mid or foreground of a scape and stays tidy without CO2, though color deepens with supplemental gas and steady dosing. Stable water parameters and periodic trimming keep growth bushy rather than leggy.

Care

Oval Ludwigia is a compact, alternate-leaved stem plant that stays tidy and low-growing compared to many of its taller relatives, making it useful for the mid to foreground of a scape. It tolerates a fairly wide temperature range and does not demand CO2, though supplemental CO2 and medium to high light bring out the best pink-orange to red coloration. Keep water parameters stable, since sudden swings in temperature or chemistry can stress the plant and cause leaf drop.

Planting & trimming

Plant stems in the substrate with a little spacing between them, since the rounded leaves shade lower growth if packed too tightly. Top and replant cuttings periodically to keep the plant bushy and prevent legginess, discarding or replanting the trimmed tops. It can also be grown emersed, though this requires very high humidity and strong light, including direct sun for best results.

Fertilizing

Dose iron and a full range of micronutrients regularly, as iron availability is the main driver of the plant's pink-orange to red leaf color. Root tabs pushed near the base help anchor new plantings and support steady growth, while a liquid all-in-one fertilizer sustains water column feeding. Yellowing leaves, holes, or stalled growth usually point to a nutrient deficiency rather than disease.

Propagation

Propagation follows the standard stem plant method: snip a lateral or top shoot a few centimeters long and replant the cutting directly into the substrate. Each cut stem branches readily afterward, producing a bushier plant and a steady supply of further cuttings.

Problems

Some lower leaf loss after planting is normal as the plant adjusts to submersed conditions, and old leaves should be trimmed away promptly to avoid fouling the substrate. Algae on the leaves is the most common complaint and typically signals too much light relative to available nutrients or weak flow, so dialing back photoperiod and increasing fertilization usually resolves it. Because it is a relatively delicate species, abrupt changes in temperature or water chemistry can trigger stress and leaf melt.

Sources

1. Ludwigia ovalis care: light, CO2 and placement · TankBud
2. Ludwigia ovalis - Oval Ludwigia - Flowgrow Aquatic Plant Database
3. Ludwigia Ovalis Care Guide: Growing in Aquarium & Emersed - Fish Laboratory
4. Ludwigia Ovalis Care Guide | Melbourne Tropical

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