Rotala Colorata

Red that fills space fast. Rotala colorata grows quickly into a dense stand of deep red and green stems — useful when you want color and coverage at the same time rather than a slow-building accent. Native to Southeast Asia.

What You’ll Receive

• Sold as emerged Fresh-cut plants, Bunched plants, or Potted plants
• Fresh-cut plants | Approx. 6 stems, loose fresh-cut stems without root
• Bunched plants | Approx. 6 fresh-cut stems without root, bundled with foam, and lead weight
• Potted plants | Approx. 6 fresh-cut stems without root, potted with net pot and rockwool

Plant Profile

• Common name — Rotala Colorata
• Scientific name — Rotala colorata
• Origin — Southeast Asia
• Placement — Midground to background
• Mature height — 6–14 in
• Growth rate — Medium

Care

• Difficulty — Intermediate
• Light — Medium to high. Color tracks light closely
• CO₂ — Recommended
• Water — 68–82°F · pH 6.0–7.0
• Substrate — Required. Nutrient substrate or root tabs
• Growth habit — Amphibious. Ships in emersed form
• Propagation — Cuttings — trim and replant stem tops

Grower’s Notes

• Color and coverage together. Most red stems are either slow and precious or fast and green. Colorata does both — which makes it a practical choice for filling a background with red rather than dotting a few accents.
• Trim the tops and replant them. Repeated topping is what builds a dense group rather than a few tall stems.
• Plant stems individually an inch apart. Bunched, the lower stems shade out and drop leaves.
• Like all Rotala it dislikes swings in CO₂ and parameters — consistency matters more than absolute values.
• It arrives in emersed form and greener than the photos. Judge the color after a few weeks of submerged growth.

Want to go deeper? Read our complete Rotala Care Guide.

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 emerge, 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.