Ludwigia Repens
Ludwigia Repensis one of the most accessible and widely loved red aquarium plants in the hobby — a reliable, adaptable North American stem plant that transitions from green-red under moderate light to vivid deep red under strong illumination. Its genuine ease of care and reliable color response across a range of lighting conditions make it the ideal entry point into red stem plants for aquarists new to the genre.
Care tip:Ludwigia Repens grows best in low lighting with CO₂ recommended. Maintain temperatures of 68–82°F and pH 6.0–7.5. Regular liquid fertilization supports healthy growth and best coloration.
Growing to 12 to 20 inches, Ludwigia Repens is a natural background plant that responds well to regular trimming. Trimmed tops replant easily and propagate reliably — a forgiving quality that makes mistakes easy to recover from. Under low light the plant maintains a pleasant green-reddish appearance; under high light the leaves become a vivid, saturated deep red throughout. CO₂ supplementation is recommended for the most compact, richly colored growth.
This easy plant tolerates low-tech setups including low lighting and no CO₂ — one of the few genuinely red-capable plants that grows acceptably without these inputs. Temperatures between 68 and 82°F reflect its North American cold-tolerance. A pH of 6.0 to 7.5 covers the full range of typical aquarium conditions. Regular fertilization maintains healthy growth and red coloration.
In the aquascape, Ludwigia Repens provides reliable warm red background color across a range of setups from low-tech community tanks to high-tech planted aquariums. The color intensity scales with lighting quality — it is equally at home providing muted red warmth in a low-tech tank and vivid deep red contrast in a high-tech layout. It is the foundational red stem plant that all aquarists should know.
Ludwigia Repens is a classic, trustworthy, and genuinely accessible red stem plant that has earned its place as the most widely recommended beginner-friendly colored stem plant in the hobby. Its adaptability and reliable red response make it an essential planted aquarium experience.
Care & Specifications
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Placement | Midground to Background |
| Max Height | 12–20 inches |
| Light Level | Low |
| Temperature | 68–82°F |
| pH | 6.0–7.5 |
| CO2 Needs | Recommended |
| Origin | North America |
| Notes | One of the most accessible red aquarium plants available. Produces oval leaves that transition from green-red under moderate light to vivid deep red under strong illumination. Highly tolerant and adaptable — a reliable entry point into red stem plants for low to mid-tech setups. |
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