# Need help with Ludwigia Red



## Fiala06 (Mar 17, 2013)

I cut mine at the base then it seems 3-4 new plants shoot up. It's impossible to kill once you get it going (at least in my tanks)

To maintain I keep cutting the tallest one out at the base.


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## Mikeygmzmg (Mar 19, 2015)

Fiala06 said:


> I cut mine at the base then it seems 3-4 new plants shoot up. It's impossible to kill once you get it going (at least in my tanks)
> 
> To maintain I keep cutting the tallest one out at the base.


when you cute it at the base, do you leave the lowest part of the plant there? or pull it out?


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## Fiala06 (Mar 17, 2013)

I leave it. You can pull it and plant the trimmings if you wish. 

Here is my tank, you can see the clump of them below. (Don't have a close up) I started with only 3 stems about a month ago and do weekly trimmings cutting 5-8 steams each time lol Think eventually I'll just yank them all up and plant the trimmings so they take over.


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## Couesfanatic (Sep 28, 2009)

Where is the ludwigia red? I don't see any in there.


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## Fiala06 (Mar 17, 2013)

Its the red-ish plant behind the s reopens in the center. My phone really messed with the colors of the plants.


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## Mikeygmzmg (Mar 19, 2015)

I don't think that's ludwigia red. it looks like ARmini or AR variegated. 

Mine is this one:


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## Fiala06 (Mar 17, 2013)

Humm just did a Google image search for Ludwigia Red, mine look exactly like this if I let them grow a little more:


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## Mikeygmzmg (Mar 19, 2015)

wow beautiful plant. Mine is called Ludwigia SP red. Maybe that's the reason for the different look?


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## Fiala06 (Mar 17, 2013)

Mikeygmzmg said:


> wow beautiful plant. Mine is called Ludwigia SP red. Maybe that's the reason for the different look?


Could be, I'm definitely no plant expert. I would image being the same family trimming would be similar. Hopefully someone else has experience with that version. 

I just googled yours and now I kinda want some!!! Google images are dangerous! (new tank idea haha) Apparently this is a mini version.


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## Mikeygmzmg (Mar 19, 2015)

Fiala06 said:


> Could be, I'm definitely no plant expert. I would image being the same family trimming would be similar. Hopefully someone else has experience with that version.
> 
> I just googled yours and now I kinda want some!!! Google images are dangerous! (new tank idea haha) Apparently this is a mini version.


Wow this is unreal... so nice. It doesn't need substrate to grow?


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## Opare (Sep 9, 2015)

@mikey A lot of plants get nutrients purely from the water column so having them not rooted in substrate, but placed in some way, I would imagine they can still do well. It's just that not all plants bind to wood and stones very well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Mikeygmzmg (Mar 19, 2015)

Opare said:


> @mikey A lot of plants get nutrients purely from the water column
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Yep, they sure do!


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## bacon5 (Jul 25, 2011)

Opare said:


> @mikeyIt's just that not all plants bind to wood and stones very well.


Super glue


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## Mikeygmzmg (Mar 19, 2015)

cmon someone has to have some good tips on Ludwigia red. Help me out!


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## bsantucci (Sep 30, 2013)

No tricks to it. Just cut it where you want it to start branching out. Do this once or twice as it grows to get to your level of desired bushiness. I usually top them after 3 trims otherwise the bottoms get too ratty.


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## dukydaf (Dec 27, 2004)

Hey Mikeygmzmg, 

The nice thing with most Ludwigias is that they will branch easily. When you cut the main growing bud secondary growing tips will develop even faster from almost every leaf node. Thus, if you want to fill one area fast, leave it to grow to desired hight, cut top 1/3 and leave the bottom part there. Pretty soon you will have a bush with growing tips at all levels.#

The bad thing about most broad leaf Ludwigias is that at higher lenghts they will grow at an angle and will produce roots from most leave nodes (under certain coditions that I have yet to determine) . I usually hide mine behind midground plants or rockscape.

Given the position you have it in, I would cut at about half the height so as to make a convex shape. Replant the tops in front. Repeat this procedure about 3 times and you should have a nice round bush with tips on all sides (depending on light and flow distribution ) and hopefully roots out of view

What type of problems did you have before with it ? I wouldn't have taken it as a plant that prefers soft water.

PS. As with any plant, replanted tops grow slower than what is already rooted. The larger the bottom part, the faster it will bounce back after the apical growing meristem is removed.


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## Mikeygmzmg (Mar 19, 2015)

dukydaf said:


> Hey Mikeygmzmg,
> 
> The nice thing with most Ludwigias is that they will branch easily. When you cut the main growing bud secondary growing tips will develop even faster from almost every leaf node. Thus, if you want to fill one area fast, leave it to grow to desired hight, cut top 1/3 and leave the bottom part there. Pretty soon you will have a bush with growing tips at all levels.#
> 
> ...


This was awesome, thank you dukydaf. For some reason I have been unsuccessful with the plant 3 times now. My 4th go around it's finally doing great and I believe it's because I made the switch to RO water only in my tank about 2 months ago. The GH in my area is off the charts in Santa Clarita Valley, CA. All of my plants thrive except for this one. One of the gurus at my LFS (Natue Aquarium in Santa Monica) was the one who tipped me off about the Ludwigia SP red not liking hard water.

While I don't like the look of the leaves at the base of the plant, I'll go ahead and take your advice and cut them in half/re-plant. 

Thanks again!

-Mike


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