Scarlet Temple – Alternanthera reineckii

Scarlet Temple is an aquacultured variant of Alternanthera reineckii. It has bronze-red leaves with purple undersides and tends to be easier than some of the other bright red plants available to aquarists. It will need moderately high light with regular iron supplements to stay healthy and retain its color. This plant grows fairly quickly and is best as a background plant.

Bunched plants are typically sold as cuttings that are bound together with a metal plant weight or rubber bands. These individual stalks can be planted by inserting the end of the stalk into the substrate, either individually or – with some plants – in groupings of several stalks. Most bunch plants do not have roots but may grow roots in time. They can be easily pruned by trimming the stalk at the desired height. The trimmings can then be planted as well if desired. Some bunched plants do not need to be planted and may be allowed to float on the water’s surface.