Limnophila Aromatica

Limnophila aromatica is the same rice paddy herb sold in Vietnamese markets, grown underwater. Whorls of narrow leaves sit green on top and purple underneath, and the purple deepens as light intensity climbs. It grows fast enough to fill a background in weeks.

What You'll Receive

Enhance your aquarium with our versatile selection of high-quality aquatic plants, available in three convenient formats:

• Fresh-Cut Plants: Includes approximately 6 loose, fresh-cut stems without roots. Perfect for flexible planting arrangements.
• Fresh-Cut Bunched: Approximately 6 fresh-cut stems without roots, bundled with foam and a plant weight for easy placement.
• Fresh-Cut Potted: About 6 fresh-cut stems without roots, securely potted in a net pot with rockwool, ensuring stability and healthy growth.

Choose the format that best suits your aquascaping needs and create a vibrant, lush underwater environment with our premium aquatic plants.

Plant Profile

• Common name — Rice Paddy Herb
• Scientific name — Limnophila aromatica
• Also known as — Ambulia, ngò om, Vietnamese coriander of the rice fields
• Origin — Southeast Asia
• Placement — Midground to background
• Mature height — 8-16 inches
• Growth rate — Fast

Care

• Difficulty — Intermediate
• Light — Medium to high
• CO₂ — Recommended
• Water — 68-82°F, pH 6.0-7.5
• Substrate — Nutrient-rich soil or root tabs, plus water column dosing
• Growth habit — Amphibious stem, feeds from roots and water column
• Propagation — Cuttings

Grower's Notes

• The purple lives on the underside of the leaf. Viewed from above the plant reads green; from the front, the whorls show violet. Planting it where you look across it rather than down at it is what shows the color off.
• The scent comes out of water, not in it. Emersed leaves smell strongly of citrus and cumin when crushed — it is a culinary herb in Vietnam. Submersed growth has little scent, so buy it for the color and the texture.
• Trim aggressively and it branches. Cutting the top third repeatedly turns a single stem into a dense bush. Left alone it grows straight to the surface and drops its lower leaves.
• Iron and light together drive the color. Medium light with steady micronutrient dosing produces the purple. Strong light without iron gives you a fast green plant instead.
• Plant stems apart, not in a bundle. Six stems pushed in as one clump shade each other and rot at the base. Space them half an inch apart and let them fill in.

Notes

• Pictures are not the actual plants you will receive, but a sample representation. Unless specific, we don't guarantee aquatic plants will be free of pests, and pesticides, grow emerged or submerge.
• Never release aquarium plants into natural waterways.

At a glance

• Free shipping on orders of $150 or more (after discounts) within the contiguous United States, by USPS.
• Free thermal protection is included with every shipment, all year round.
• Processing: most orders leave us within 1 to 2 business days. Tracking is emailed when your order ships.
• USPS (2 to 5 business days) ships Monday through Saturday.
• UPS 2nd Day Air® ships Monday through Wednesday. Order by Tuesday at 6:00 AM Pacific Time for same-week delivery.
• UPS Next Day Air® ships Monday through Thursday. Order by Wednesday at 6:00 AM Pacific Time for same-week delivery.
• Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and military addresses ship by USPS at a flat rate shown at checkout.
• Weather holds: during extreme heat or cold we may hold live orders until it's safe to ship.
• We ship within the United States only.

Please bring live plants indoors and unpack them the day they arrive. Every live order is covered by our 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee.

The complete rules, including lost packages and address issues, are in our Shipping Policy. If anything conflicts, that policy applies.

Every live order is backed by our 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee. If a plant arrives dead, we'll make it right.

How it works

• Tell us within 24 hours of the delivery time on your tracking.
• Send photos of the affected items in their original, unopened packaging, plus a photo of the shipping label, to hello@aquariumplantsfactory.com with your order number.
• We'll make it right with a replacement, store credit or refund for the affected item.

Good to know

• Some melting or yellowing as plants adjust from greenhouse to aquarium life is normal. They regrow from healthy roots and rhizomes.
• Please bring your package indoors and unpack it the day it arrives.
• Free promotional items and shipping charges are not covered.

The complete rules, including what's covered and what voids the guarantee, are in our Returns, Refunds & Live Arrival Guarantee. If anything conflicts, that policy applies.

Please review your state's regulations on restricted plants, as we are committed to not shipping plants that are restricted in your area. Do not release any plants into the wild or waterways, as this can harm local ecosystems by introducing invasive species.

Your cooperation in protecting the environment is appreciated. For continuously updated information, refer to the USDA State Noxious Weed list here.

Thank you for your responsible commitment to environmental preservation.