Under good conditions L. sphaerocarpa will have a very compact growth with the top leaves stacked one on top of the other. The top most leaves are yellow to orange in color. Like many Ludwigia spp. it tends to grow at an angle with the substrate and produce a good amount of visible roots. However, unlike other Ludwigia spp. this plant does not branch so readily.

One thing this plant needs is as much light as possible. If fertilization and light is not sufficient, the plant will start dropping lower leaves and grow with larger internodal space.

Because its slow growth and large leaf size, this plant is suitable for the midground of the aquarium where frequent trimming will expose the most beautiful part.

Photo 1: Submersed L. sphaerocarpa. Source : Mihai Zamfir (Allwissend), 2017. All rights reserved. Used with permission.