Rotala Macrandra Green

Rotala macrandra is the genus's difficult one — large soft leaves, a real appetite for light and CO₂, and a reputation for collapsing when either wavers. The 'Green' form keeps that same round, soft leaf and flowing habit but drops the pigment demand: no deep red to chase, so no constant iron dosing and light-intensity brinkmanship to keep the color from fading to bronze. Care Difficulty: Intermediate Light: Medium to high. Under low light the stems stretch, the lower leaves shed, and you are left with bare stalks carrying a tuft at the top. CO₂: Recommended. Without injection this plant grows, but slowly and with smaller leaves. Water: pH 5.5-7.5, 72-82°F (22-28°C) Substrate: Required — a nutrient-rich substrate, plus water column dosing. Macrandra feeds heavily through both routes and is quick to show deficiency. Growth habit: Upright stems with arching tips and soft, rounded lime-green leaves; larger and softer-textured than most Rotala Propagation: Cuttings — trim the top third of a stem and replant it; the cut stem branches below the cut