Ludwigia 'Dark Red'

Ludwigia sp. 'Dark Red' — Ludwigia 'Dark Red'

A rare low-light red — mottled red-and-green foliage that deepens to maroon, easy and vigorous

Ludwigia 'Dark Red' is a widely loved, beginner-friendly red stem plant with leaves mottled in rich red and green — some solid, some marbled with both shades — giving a colorful, dynamic look. Its standout quality among red plants is its tolerance for low light: unlike most reds that fade to green without intense lighting, Dark Red holds its color even in shady tanks, and deepens to a gorgeous maroon under bright light. It's also a vigorous grower that efficiently pulls excess nutrients and detritus from the water, helping keep it clean, and its dense growth offers welcome shelter for shrimp and small or breeding fish. Easy, colorful, and adaptable — a genuinely rare low-light red.

AQUASCAPING TIP: This is one of the few reds that holds color in low light, so it's a great pick for low-tech tanks — but give it bright light and it deepens into a rich maroon, and an iron-rich fertilizer intensifies the color further. To build a full, bushy stand, trim the tops and replant the cuttings; the stems branch from each cut and thicken over time. Its vigorous growth also helps strip excess nutrients from the water and shelters shrimp and fry.

AT A GLANCE

CARE GUIDE

CUSTOMER QUESTIONS ANSWERED

(Q) Will it stay red in low light, or do I need bright lighting like other reds?

= This is exactly where Dark Red stands out. Most red plants need intense light to show color and fade to green without it — but Dark Red tolerates low light and even shade, holding its red-and-green mottled coloration where other reds would turn plain green. That makes it one of the few reds you can grow successfully in a low-tech or lower-light tank. Give it bright light and the color deepens further into a rich maroon, and an iron-rich fertilizer helps intensify it too. So you get color across a wide range of lighting — vivid maroon in high light, and dependable red-green even in the shade.

(Q) How do I keep it bushy, and does it do anything for my tank besides look good?

= Both are easy wins. To keep it full and bushy, trim the tops regularly and replant the cuttings alongside the parent stems — the stems branch from each cut point, thickening the stand over time. Beyond looks, Dark Red is a vigorous grower that does real work: it efficiently draws excess nutrients and detritus out of the water column, helping keep the water clean and outcompeting algae, which is especially useful in newer or well-stocked tanks. Its dense growth also creates excellent shelter and hiding spots for freshwater shrimp and small or breeding fish. It's a plant that earns its keep.

(Q) How do I plant it, and what if it drops leaves or looks different from the photos?

= It's a classic stem plant: remove any band, separate the stems, and gently push each one about an inch into the substrate, spacing them slightly apart so they have room. Roots form from the buried nodes within a week or two. Two things to expect — like many stem plants, it may be grown emersed, so it can drop a few leaves as it transitions to submerged growth (normal; don't discard it, and fresh growth follows). And because its coloration is naturally mottled and varies from leaf to leaf — deepening with light — your plants may look somewhat different from the sample photos, especially at first. The color settles in and intensifies as it establishes under your lighting.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

1 Ludwigia 'Dark Red' bundle, 4–8 inches, ready to plant on arrival. It holds color in low light and deepens to maroon under bright light. It may drop a few leaves as it transitions to submersed growth, and its mottled color varies plant to plant — both are normal (see the FAQ). Remove the band and rinse gently before planting. Photos are representative of the species; your specimen may vary slightly in size and coloration.

Ships within 10–15 business days.