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Rotala Red Cross (Rotala ramosior/ Rotala sp. 'Araguaia Red Cross') | Aquatic Plants – Superior Shrimp & Aquatics

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Rotala Red Cross (Rotala ramosior / Rotala sp. 'Araguaia Red Cross')

Rotala Red Cross (Rotala ramosior / Rotala sp. 'Araguaia Red Cross')

$9.00
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Description
Rotala Red Cross - Superior Shrimp and Aquatics
Aquatic Plants

Rotala Red Cross

A rare stem plant with slender, spiky leaves and a striking colour gradient -- light green at the base transitioning through yellow to vivid orange-tipped upper leaves. One of the most distinctively coloured Rotala variants in the hobby.

Green-to-Yellow-Orange Colour Gradient Slender Spiky Leaves Ascending Stem Plant CO2 Recommended High Light Mid-Background Placement

Rotala Red Cross (Rotala ramosior / Rotala sp. 'Araguaia Red Cross') is a rare stem plant with a distinctive growth form and an unusual colour expression for the Rotala genus. Where most Rotala variants trend toward pink, red, or orange-red under high light, Red Cross produces a three-stage gradient -- light green at the lower stem, transitioning to yellow through the midsection, with vivid orange-tipped upper leaves on the most recent growth closest to the light. The leaves themselves are slender and spiky, emerging from an ascending stem in a form that reads as more delicate and textural than the broader-leaved Rotala rotundifolia variants. This combination of fine leaf structure and warm yellow-orange gradient makes Red Cross a genuinely distinctive mid-to-background stem plant in an aquascape context -- it provides colour contrast without the solid-red density of Rotala macrandra or H'ra, and the yellow-orange tips catch light in a way that draws the eye toward the upper reaches of the tank. CO2 and high light are strongly recommended for the best colour expression. Safe with all Neocaridina and Caridina shrimp.

RecommendedCO2
72–82°FTemperature
HighLighting
Colour & Appearance

The Green-Yellow-Orange Gradient

Three-stage colour gradient -- green base, yellow midsection, orange-tipped upper leaves -- the colour expression of Rotala Red Cross is gradual and continuous rather than a single-tone response to light. Lower stem leaves in shaded or older sections of the plant remain light green. As the stem grows toward the light the leaves transition through warm yellow tones, and the newest growth at the tips -- receiving the most direct light -- develops vivid orange tips that give the plant its most distinctive and eye-catching appearance. The full gradient is most visible and most saturated under high light with CO2 and lean nitrates. Slender spiky leaves on an ascending stem -- finer texture than most Rotala rotundifolia variants -- the leaf shape of Red Cross is distinctly different from the rounder, broader leaves of standard Rotala rotundifolia. The leaves are narrow, elongated, and somewhat spiky in character, producing a fine, airy texture along the stem that contrasts well with broader-leaved plants like Anubias or Bucephalandra in the same aquascape. The ascending stem habit means the plant naturally reaches upward toward the light rather than sprawling, making it well-suited to mid-to-background placement. Colour intensity driven by light, CO2, and low nitrates -- the same levers as all red-orange Rotala -- like all Rotala variants that express warm colours, Red Cross reaches its most vivid gradient under high light intensity, consistent CO2 supplementation, and lean water column nitrates (ideally below 10 ppm). Without CO2 the plant remains viable and grows, but the colour gradient is reduced -- the orange tips become yellow-green and the overall effect flattens. Iron and micronutrient supplementation enhances the warm tones of the upper leaf colouration.
How to Set It Up

Planting & Maintenance

1Plant in groups of 5–7 stems at 1–2cm spacing in the mid-to-background -- Red Cross is most effective as a grouped stem planting rather than isolated individual stems. Plant stems at 1–2cm spacing and allow them to grow as a cluster; the overlapping gradients of multiple stems at slightly different growth stages create a richer and more complex colour effect than a single stem can produce. Use aquarium tweezers to insert individual stems into the substrate without damaging the delicate lower leaves.
2Trim and replant tops regularly to maintain density and gradient -- as stems grow taller the lower sections lose light and the leaves drop, leaving bare lower stems. Trim the top 5–8cm of each stem and replant it directly in front of or beside the parent stem. The parent stem will branch from the cut point, producing a denser bush over successive trims. Regular topping is the primary maintenance practice and the main tool for controlling plant shape and maintaining the gradient at a visible height.
3Provide high light directed at the stem tips for the best orange expression -- the orange tip colouration develops specifically on the newest growth receiving the most direct light. Position the plant where the light reaches the upper stems without significant obstruction from taller or broader plants. In a tank with varied plant heights, Red Cross performs best when it is among the taller background elements rather than shaded by them.
4Dose iron and micronutrients consistently -- the warm yellow-orange tones of the upper leaves are supported by available iron and a full micronutrient profile. Consistent two to three times weekly liquid fertilisation including iron produces more even and more saturated colour than intermittent dosing. Visible colour fading or greening of the upper leaves is usually a sign of micronutrient or iron deficiency rather than inadequate light.
Aquascape Tip

Rotala Red Cross pairs exceptionally well with Rotala Nanjenshan in the same background grouping -- the fine needle-like texture of Nanjenshan and the spiky leaves of Red Cross are similar enough in scale to read as a unified texture mass, while the pink-orange of Nanjenshan and the yellow-orange of Red Cross create a warm gradient across the back of the tank that transitions naturally from one plant to the other. Both respond to the same care parameters, making them easy to manage as a pair.

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    Rotala Red Cross (Rotala ramosior / Rotala sp. 'Araguaia Red Cross')
    $9.00
    $9.00
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