Scarlet Temple

• Scientific Name: Alternanthera reineckii var 'Roseafolia'
• Native To: South America
• Skill Level: Medium
• Placement: Midground or background
• Light Requirement: Medium to High Light 20-50+ PAR (click to see our PAR chart)
• CO₂ Requirement: Recommended
• Preferred Fertilizer: Easy Green fertilizer and Easy Iron supplement
• Propagation: Trim stems and replant

***Being a natural product, sizes can vary from what is shown.***

How to Plant Alternanthera Reineckii 

1. Remove the potted plant from plastic basket, and split the rock wool in half.
2. Carefully remove the plant roots from the rock wool, and make sure to remove all the small, yellow fertilizer balls. Wash off any remaining debris.
3. Use planting tweezers or your fingers to plant each stem deeply, at least 2 to 3 inches into the ground, which means the substrate may cover some of the bottom leaves.
4. Don’t plant the stem plants all in a single bunch but rather individually with a little space between so that the roots have some room to grow.
5. If the plant keeps popping out of the ground, try inserting the stem at an angle or wrap a plant weight at the bottom of the stem to keep them anchored. If the stems have no roots, some people will float them at the surface until they develop roots and then plant them into the substrate.

How to Grow Scarlet Temple Plant

— Alternanthera reineckii care requires medium skill level, so start by using medium to high lighting between 20-50+ PAR to prevent "leggy" stems (where the bottom portion of the plant starts dropping leaves). Also, add low to medium amounts of CO₂ gas. 
— Why is my Alternanthera reineckii melting? This stem plant is grown out of the water at the farm. Once the plants arrive to us, we begin the process of converting them to their underwater form. The plant you receive may be half-converted and still need time to adjust to life under water. To help speed up the transition, provide plenty of light and nutrients to encourage new leaves to sprout as the old leaves melt away. Consider floating the stems at the surface until it grows more roots and can be easily planted into the substrate.
— Why is my Alternanthera reineckii turning yellow or brown? If your stem plant is getting enough light, it may be a nutrient deficiency, so measure the nitrate level using a multi-test strip. Dose with Easy Green all-in-one fertilizer until the water has 20-50 ppm nitrate, and add Easy Iron supplement in high tech planted environments. 
— How to trim Alternanthera reineckii: If the plant is too tall or the bottom half of the stem has lost its leaves, prune off the top portion and replant it.

How to Propagate Alternanthera Reineckii 

Stem plants can be easily propagated by trimming off the top half of the plant and replanting it in another location. The original plant will continue growing upwards from where it was cut and may even create multiple branches.