Rotala H'Ra

Rotala sp. 'H'Ra' is a Vietnamese stem plant that's earned a real following in the planted tank hobby, especially among aquascapers chasing that deep red coloration in mid to background zones. Under strong light with CO2 injection and a good fert regimen, the leaves turn an intense, almost burgundy red.

It stays relatively compact compared to other Rotala species, with small, densely packed leaves that give it a fine, textured look. That compact growth is a big part of why it shows up so often in Dutch-style and nature aquarium layouts.

You can grow it without CO2, but color development suffers noticeably and growth slows to a crawl. Soft water on the slightly acidic side gets the best results.

Propagation is dead simple: trim the tops, replant the cuttings, and the original stem will bush out from the cut point. Keeping it trimmed regularly actually improves its density and keeps the lower stems from going bare.

If you want to see what this plant really looks like in a full aquascape, browsing competition tank journals or planted tank community galleries will show off just how striking it can get.