Matogrosso Milfoil care guide
Myriophyllum mattogrossense · Haloragaceae
Matogrosso Milfoil (Myriophyllum mattogrossense) is an aquatic plant. It belongs to the Haloragaceae family. It is native to The tropical lowlands of South America (first imported from Ecuador in 1990). The “red milfoil” sold under this name for about 20 years was really M. tuberculatum; true M. mattogrossense is all green. It needs medium light. Water temperature: Tolerates about 18–28 °C. pH: 5.0 – 7.0. Care difficulty: Easy. Growth rate: fast.
How do you care for Matogrosso Milfoil?
| Light | Medium (at least about 0.5 W per litre; stronger light with CO₂ gives faster growth and larger leaves) |
|---|---|
| CO₂ | Helpful (still thrives in medium-lit tanks without CO₂) |
| Temperature | Tolerates about 18–28 °C |
| pH | 5.0 – 7.0 |
| Placement | Background or filler |
| Growth | Fast |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Family | Haloragaceae |
How do you trim and propagate Matogrosso Milfoil?
Cut back very often because growth is strong: replant the cut tip in the substrate, or discard it and let the rest regrow. Many side shoots make cuttings easy.
What problems affect Matogrosso Milfoil?
Shoot tips turning white signal a lack of iron and micronutrients.
How do you fix Matogrosso Milfoil problems?
Dose iron and trace elements. It needs only a little nitrate and phosphate; about 10 mg/l nitrate and 1–2 mg/l phosphate give larger, sturdier stems.
Where does Matogrosso Milfoil come from?
The tropical lowlands of South America (first imported from Ecuador in 1990). The “red milfoil” sold under this name for about 20 years was really M. tuberculatum; true M. mattogrossense is all green
What should you know before buying Matogrosso Milfoil?
Three other Myriophyllum species (M. aquaticum, M. heterophyllum, M. spicatum) have aggressively invaded lakes and canals in North America and are controlled in several US states. Never release plants or trimmings into natural waters.
Sources
- Myriophyllum mattogrossense - Matogrosso milfoil — Flowgrow Aquatic Plant Database
- Myriophyllum — Wikipedia
- Myriophyllum mattogrossense (Myriophyllum mattogrossense) — Aquasabi plant fact sheet (its values are credited there to the Flowgrow databas
Care details checked against these sources on 2026-10-29.
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