Lagenandra Meeboldii ‘Red’ TC – IC217

This plant is originally from India and is quite similar to a medium-sized, broad-leaved Cryptocoryne. It can be kept in an aquarium just like Cryptocoryne, however it requires a lot of light to develop its colors.

The interesting fact of Lagenandra meeboldii “Red” is the red color form of the species named after Alfred Karl Meebold, the discoverer.

It’s a slow-growing rhizome plant with leaves that can reach up to 8cm broad and grow up to 15cm tall. When cultivated hydroponically in the Tropica greenhouses, the leaf color begins as a dusty green color and changes colors based on the growing circumstances in the tank. In general, more intense light causes the leaves to become more reddish in color.

On the same leaf, the colors range from dusty green to bright violet to red-violet. The new leaves are a delicate pink color.

It can be found growing in the wild in Southwest India on stream banks and occasionally submerged in loamy soil. Lagenandra is linked to the Cryptocoryne genus.

In most aquariums, Lagenandra meedboldii “Red” works best as a midground plant or as a focal point plant in smaller tanks. Depending on the aquarium lighting levels, the plant’s coloration can create a distinguishing feature, which can be used to contrast or harmonize with other plant species, depending on the aquascape style.

Its leaf development pattern might generate shadowing around the plant, so keep that in mind when choosing a species to put next to it. Because it does not send out runners, you can be confident it will stay in the same place, making it suitable for long-term aquarium use.

Care Tips

• Grows in a wide range of aquarium water parameters
• CO₂ injection and strong lighting will give the best colours and most robust growth.