Ludwigia repens

🌿 Ludwigia repens

Ludwigia repens, commonly known as Creeping Primrose-Willow, is a classic and reliable aquatic stem plant featuring broad, spade-shaped leaves. Famous for its striking dual-tone foliage, it displays dark green to olive topsides with deep reddish-pink undersides, making it one of the most popular red stem plants in the hobby.

🌱 Growth & Appearance

This species produces sturdy stems lined with smooth, opposite leaves that arch gracefully as they grow upward. Under good light, the entire leaf can transform into warm shades of copper, orange, and deep red.

Its fast growth rate and strong root system allow it to quickly establish in new aquariums. Regular trimming causes the plant to branch out heavily, forming lush, dense bushes that fill out vertical space effortlessly.

💡 Lighting & CO₂

Ludwigia repens is exceptionally hardy and adaptable, thriving in both low and high-tech aquariums. Low to moderate light keeps the foliage olive-green with pink undersides, while higher lighting intensifies the overall red and orange hues.

CO₂ injection is optional, making it an ideal entry-level plant for aquascapers seeking red coloration without mandatory pressurized CO₂. However, adding CO₂ and liquid iron will enhance growth speed and color depth.

🪴 Planting & Maintenance

Plant individual stems into the substrate using tweezers, leaving enough space between them to allow light and water flow to reach the lower stem portions. To propagate, simply trim the upper 4 to 6 inches once stems grow tall and replant the cuttings directly into the soil.

Pruning the main stem regularly encourages multiple new side shoots from the cut nodes, increasing overall group density and keeping lower leaves from shedding.

🌿 Best Use

Ludwigia repens is an outstanding midground to background stem plant for nature-style aquascapes, Dutch layouts, and beginner community tanks.

Its rich reddish tones provide a bold visual contrast against bright green plants like Stargrass, Hygrophila, or carpeting species.

✨ Plant Profile

Difficulty: Easy

Growth Rate: Fast

Lighting: Low to High

CO₂: Optional

Temperature: 15–28°C

Placement: Midground to Background

Growth Type: Stem Plant

Propagation: Stem Cuttings