Rotala mexicana 'Araguaia'

Rotala mexicana 'Araguaia' is a highly regarded variant of R. mexicana collected from the Araguaia River region of Brazil. Its extremely fine, needle-like leaves create a wispy, delicate texture that stands in beautiful contrast to broader-leaved plants. Under high light and CO2 supplementation the foliage develops rich pink to red colouration that deepens with iron fertilisation. The tissue culture form delivers a clean, vigorous starting plant. Growth is moderate; plant in tight groups of 7–10 stems to create visually impactful columns. It is particularly prized in Dutch aquascaping where fine-textured red plants are used for contrast. Requires soft, slightly acidic water for best colour expression.

Light: High CO2: Required Fertilisation: Iron-rich micro; adequate nitrogen and phosphorus Placement: Midground to background columns Propagation: Trim tops; insert cuttings into substrate