🌸 Rotala wallichii – Fine-Leaf Red Stem Plant
Rotala wallichii is one of the most iconic and visually captivating red stem plants in the aquarium hobby. Known for its needle-shaped leaves and striking coloration that ranges from green to vibrant shades of pink and red, this plant creates an elegant, bushy effect when grown in groups. Though more challenging to maintain than other stem plants, it remains a favorite among aquascapers for its delicate beauty and dramatic color contrast.
🌟 Key Features
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Scientific Name: Rotala wallichii
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Leaf Shape: Fine, needle-like leaves with bushy growth pattern
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Coloration: Green to deep pink and red under high light with CO₂ and iron dosing
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Growth Form: Upright, fast-growing stem plant
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Popularity: One of the most admired and commonly used red plants in aquascaping
🌱 Growth & Propagation
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Lighting Needs: High light required for optimal coloration
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CO₂ & Fertilizers: Strongly recommended; iron-rich dosing enhances red tones
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Growth Method: Best planted in groups as midground or background feature
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Nutrient Substrate: Required for healthy and vigorous growth
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Can Be Grown Emersed: No, best grown submerged
🖼️ Aquascaping Benefits
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Color Accent: Adds vibrant pink and red hues, providing contrast against green plants
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Delicate Texture: Fine, feathery leaves soften aquascapes and add natural depth
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Focal Grouping: Looks best when planted densely to create a bushy, dramatic effect
📦 What You’ll Receive:
Sold as loose fresh-cut plants, bunched plants, or potted plants:
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Fresh-cut Plants: Approx. 6 individual, loose stems without roots
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Bunched Plants: Approx. 6 stems without roots, bundled with foam and a lead weight
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Potted Plants: Approx. 6 stems without roots, potted in rockwool and 2-inch net pot
⚠️ Disclaimer
Rotala wallichii may arrive green when shipped, as coloration depends on lighting, nutrients, and CO₂. With the right care—including iron dosing, high lighting, and CO₂ injection—the plant will quickly develop its signature pink and red tones.
🚫 State Restrictions Notice ♻️ Be a Responsible Aquatic Plants Owner
Before purchasing, always check your state’s regulations regarding aquatic plants. Dispose of all plant trimmings responsibly—never release aquarium plants into local waterways.
Shipping Policy
At Aquarium Plants Factory, we carefully package and ship all orders to ensure plants and livestock arrive healthy and ready to thrive.
Order Processing Time
Most orders are processed within 1–2 business days after payment is received.
Orders placed on weekends or holidays will be processed on the next business day.
Orders containing out-of-stock, pre-order, or backorder items may require additional handling time.
Once your order ships, tracking information will be sent to your email.
Shipping Schedule
Live Plants
Live plant orders ship Monday through Saturday when using United States Postal Service (USPS).
Most plant-only orders ship within 1–3 business days, excluding products that are out of stock, pre-order, or backorder.
Estimated USPS delivery time is 2–5 business days, depending on your location.
UPS Express Shipping
We offer the following UPS expedited shipping options:
UPS 2-Day Air®
Estimated delivery: 2 business days
Please note that UPS 2-Day Air® is not a guaranteed service in the event of carrier delays, weather disruptions, or operational issues.
UPS Next Day Air®
Estimated delivery: 1 business day
This service is guaranteed by UPS according to their service guarantee policies.
UPS expedited orders ship Monday through Wednesday only to ensure packages arrive within the same week and avoid weekend delays.
Please note that orders require 1–2 business days of handling time before shipment.
To help ensure same-week delivery, please place UPS orders on or before Tuesday at 6:00 AM Pacific Time (PT).
Live Animals Shipping
Live animal orders ship Monday through Wednesday only.
This schedule ensures animals arrive within the same week and do not remain in transit over the weekend.
Handling time for live animal orders typically ranges from 1–5 business days, depending on:
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Weather conditions
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Livestock health
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Shipping destination
Tracking information will be emailed once the order has been shipped.
Free Shipping
We offer Free Shipping on eligible orders over $150 within the contiguous United States.
Estimated delivery time for free shipping orders is 2–5 business days.
If your order contains both live plants and live animals, the shipment may be combined and the appropriate shipping rate will be shown at checkout.
Free Shipping is not available for customers located in:
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Alaska
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Hawaii
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Puerto Rico
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Guam
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U.S. Virgin Islands
Customers in these locations must select Expedited or Express shipping options at checkout.
Delivery Time Estimates
Delivery times shown at checkout are estimates provided by the shipping carrier.
While we work hard to ship orders quickly, delivery times may vary due to factors outside of our control, including:
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Weather conditions
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Carrier delays
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High shipping volumes
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Transportation disruptions
Aquarium Plants Factory is not responsible for shipping delays caused by the carrier.
Delayed or Lost Packages
Occasionally, shipments may take longer than expected.
A package is considered lost only after 15 business days (approximately 3 weeks) from the ship date.
If a package is confirmed lost by the carrier, we may offer a 50/50 replacement, meaning:
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Aquarium Plants Factory covers 50% of the replacement cost
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The customer covers 50% plus shipping
Address Accuracy
Customers are responsible for providing a complete and accurate shipping address when placing an order.
Please ensure that your address is correct when using payment methods such as:
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Credit / Debit Card
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PayPal
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Apple Pay
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Google Pay
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Amazon Pay
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Shopify Pay
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AliPay
Orders returned due to:
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Incorrect address
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Refused delivery
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Failed delivery attempts
may not be eligible for a refund.
Order Cancellations
If you need to cancel an order, please contact us as soon as possible.
Orders can only be canceled before they have been shipped.
Once an order has been shipped, it can no longer be canceled.
Returns
Due to the sensitive nature of live goods, all sales are final.
We do not accept returns or exchanges for:
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Live plants
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Live animals
For any shipping questions, please contact us before placing your order.
Aquarium Plants Factory
https://www.AquariumPlantsFactory.com
WHAT WE GUARANTEE
24 Hours Live Arrival Guarantee* - In a rare case of live stocks dead on arrival, we must be notified within 24 hours by the same day of delivery. Please take clear photos of the damaged product and send it to us within 24 hours. Live Arrival Guarantee will be void after 24 hours of delivery. All replacements are considered final and we will not replace the replacement.
- Picture requirements: Take at least 2 clear photos of damaged product in their original, unopened & sealed transparent packing and send photos and orders information to our email within 24 hours: aquariumplantsfactory@gmail.com
- Please do not take picture of damaged plants, or animals in your aquarium. Once they have been introduced to your aquarium's ecosystem. It is no longer covered by our guarantee.
Please be aware that our Live Arrival Guarantee is subject to certain conditions. Specifically, the guarantee will not be applicable in cases where the package is marked as 'invalid address', 'undeliverable' or is 'returned to sender.' This includes situations such as a vacant delivery address, a missing apartment number, or any other issues that prevent the postal service from delivering your package.
It is crucial to provide accurate and complete shipping information to ensure the successful delivery of your order and the applicability of the Live Arrival Guarantee.
Please keep in mind that Live Arrival Guarantee only guarantees that live stocks will be alive upon arrival. We cannot guarantee that you will continue to have success with them. Many factors, including the aquarium environment, water quality, nutrient, temperature, lighting, filter, and CO2 system, can contribute to the failure to grow live plants and live animals.
WHAT WE CAN'T GUARANTEE
Even though our plants are very clean, but we can't guarantee they will be 100% pest-free because we cannot be responsible for your aquarium. Please use it at your own risk. We recommended all customers rinse the plants with clean water and quarantine them before use.
However, plants in tissue culture will be 100% free from pests, algae and never have been contacting with any aquarium.
- Due to the nature of the product. We don't guarantee our plants will be pests free. ( snails, algae, hitchhikers )
- We don't guarantee our plants will be free of pesticides. We use homemade, organic pesticides in our greenhouse to control pests. We do not use pesticides that contain copper. Copper is toxic to invertebrates such as aquatic snails, crabs, shrimps, etc
- We don't guarantee your aquarium success or are responsible for your aquarium inhabitant including but not limited to fish, shrimp, snail, turtle, etc. So please quarantine all plants when use!
- Unless specific, we don't guarantee aquatic plants will be grow emerged or submerge.
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.
Customers praised this delicate aquatic stem for "excellent quality" and "fantastic shipping." Most received "lush" healthy stems that adapted well, though some noted initial browning from heat stress and slow early growth. Lighting requirements are important - lower leaves may drop in deeper tanks. With proper conditions, shoppers report "new growth" and thriving plants. "Great price for what you get."
- These guys sent me massive bushels thick, green and beautiful.
- So many stems sent! Lush and delicate looking! Really an astonishing new addition!
- Had to leave them in the binding for a few days and they had already started growing.
C
The stems arrived in good condition. I have placed them in two different tanks with slightly different results. There has been dropping of leaves on the lower part of the plants but more so in my deeper tank, so lighting looks to be a factor. It appears that there is new growth on both so hopefully they will adapt and take off.
A
Such an amazing plant i got for my 40 gallon freshwater breeder aquascape aquarium
J
Received a nice portion of stems. Unfortunately I don't think they like the heat of shipping. The stems were brown with about a half inch of green tips. The tips do seem to be growing but slowly. Keeping my fingers crossed.
J
I couldn't tell what color the stems were in the bag (old 65yr old eyes) dark red or brown. Once they went into my tank I realized they were brown with about half an inch green tips. I was hopeful that the green tips would start growing. Instead the green is slowly turning brown. I had this plant long ago and it grew great for years and really liked it. So when I re setup a tank I went for it. Maybe it didn't do good in shipping?
C
Received plants quickly after ordering. This rotala was brown, thin, and pretty wimpy. It has been sprouting new, bright green growth which is promising. I have a soiled substrate and micro dose one pump/day of Thrive-S liquid fertilizer.
Pictured is half the bunch after a week. I split the bunch and planted other half in another spot to fill in areas. Hope it will develop like the product images.
T
great plants. Will definately order again
A
Had to leave them in the binding for a few days and they had already started growing. I'm excited to see them take off!
C
Fantastic shipping and plant quality. Would buy again.
J
Very pretty
H
So many stems sent! Lush and delicate looking! Really an astonishing new addition!
l
Always excellent quality plants
J
A little thin and wispy, with not much red at all. But the new growth looks to be coming in a red color. Can’t wait to see them matured.
N
Everything was in excellent condition and arrived speedily - very pleased and will be buying from you all again!
C
My original order got cought in the texas storm and arrived dead, reached out and they sent a new order no questions asked. New order came in and the plant is doing good, it has acclimated and has new growth starting. I would recommend and will order from here again when I need new plants.
G
Beautiful plant very satisfied with what they sent me
M
The quality of these alone is enough to make me a repeat customer. I’ve ordered from several sights including the bigger more well known sites. These always come in looking like pine needles. These guys sent me massive bushels thick, green and beautiful.
A
cam in healthy a little small but healthy looks like ti is surviving and growing lets see what happens
j
Bundles had many stems, maybe a little short, but healthy!
S
This is the second time I bought plants from APF! Good selections, good prices, speedy delivery and customer service!
The plants are always healthy, ready to be planted in the tank. I have plants from APF in all 6 of my tanks spread out and they are all doing well, fish are healthy too!
M
Purchased some plants a few different times only once ordered was short..customer service took care of it very well. Packaging and Quality very nicely done. If I need more 😀
R
I am still waiting for a response to my email about rotala
L
Well packaged and delivered in excellent condition. Thriving in the tank.
L
Great price for what you get
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