Are you new to the hobby of aquascape? Or have you been happy with aquascapes for a long time but are still confused about which plants to use for your next aquascape? Maybe bucephalandra is a plant that will be suitable for your new aquascape as well as for beginners.
Bucephalandra Overview
| Family | Araceae |
| Maintenance | Easy |
| Growth rate | Slow |
| Lighting | Low – Medium |
| Placement | The front |
| Table | Table |
Habitat Bucephalandra
Believe it or not, actually many aquascape plants come from our country, Indonesia. Java fern, for example, is usually found in Southeast Asia, of course Indonesia is included in that region. Bucephalandra or better known as buce is a plant that is native to Indonesia, precisely on the island of Borneo. The island of Borneo still has many areas of tropical rain forest which are the original habitat of Bucephalandra.
This plant is similar to anubias which usually grows around rivers or water currents. Usually grows around rocks or on trees or twigs close to water. In the rainy season when water floods the forest, the buce will grow completely underwater. However, when there is no rain, buce can still grow on land. Because tropical rainforests are usually covered by tall and dense trees, usually the buce doesn’t get much light.
So, apart from having great survival power, buce can also grow with minimal lighting. Until now there are about 30 species that have been found in Kalimantan, this species only exists in Kalimantan. Unfortunately, because the forest there has begun to be affected by human intervention, not only animals but also fauna are starting to decrease. Some types of buce today can only be found in cultivators and do not exist in nature anymore.
Read Also = Java Moss Care, Growth Rate, Temprature Complete Guide
Treatment of bucephalandra
Buce does not require much special care because this plant is very hardy. The most important thing is the presence of lighting, buce also likes a fairly strong water flow, and the water temperature is relatively low (21 o C – 27 o C). With such aquascape conditions, it is actually enough to maintain the buce. However, of course the growth will not be fast. If you want even faster growth, you are required to use CO2 and liquid fertilizer.
Depending on the species and maintenance, the buce can grow 1 leaf in 3 weeks for slow growth. Meanwhile, those who use CO2 and liquid fertilizer or species that grow quickly can grow 2 leaves in 1 week. In addition to accelerating growth, the use of CO2, liquid fertilizer and moderate light can also produce a better buce color. Just like anubias, buce does not require basic fertilizer. Buce has rhizomes like anubias, so the main placement of this plant is on rocks and wood. Buce can be planted in a substrate such as poor sand or basic fertilizer, but make sure only the roots are planted so that the rhizomes do not rot.
Bucephalandra mini
I started this list with a mini buce. This mini Buce is enough or even very often used to make Bucephalandra bonsai because of its small leaves. As the name suggests, this type of “mini” buce has smaller leaf sizes than other types. Because of the small leaves, this mini buce is the best choice if you want to make a bonsai using bucephalandra plants. This mini Buce still has many different types if you explore.
For example, there is Bucephalandra . mini sekadau, then there is mini melawi, and there is mini coin. Usually the naming of bucephalandra plants uses the name of the area where the plant is found. For the price itself varies greatly because sellers can sell it per rhizome, or in mica plastic containers, or even baskets. Usually, those placed on mica plastic range from $1 – $3 depending on the size of the mica plastic. If you are looking for a cheaper one, usually one is sold per clump or one connecting clump. Usually the price is cheaper around 1$. Or if you want bars or per rhizome, the price is around $0.40 – $1.
Bucephalandra brownie
One of the uniqueness of Bucephalandra is the leaves that have various color variations. In addition, there are usually spots on the leaves of Bucephalandra that distinguish it from other plants such as anubias for example. Bucephalandra brownie also has many types, for example brownie phantom, brownie falcon, brownie amanda, brownie red, brownie helena, brownie purple, and others.
There are so many types of brownie, you can only buy sp brownie with a different type and everything will look different. Bucephalandra brownie usually has wavy leaf edges and slightly oval leaves. The color starts from green, slightly purple, and reddish. Actually, the appearance of this color can also be influenced by the use of irradiating lamps because bucephalandra can reflect light from the lamp. Prices for this type range from $0.50 – $1 for one small piece or several rhizomes.
Bucephalandra kedagang
Frankly, it is actually quite difficult to distinguish each type of bucephalandra plant. Because the appearance of the leaves and their color at first glance do not differ very much, except for the shape of the leaves that are very different, it is easy to tell the difference. At first glance, Bucephalandra . Kedagang is similar to Bucephalandra sp. brownie, the edges of the leaves are wavy too. But the color at first glance is different, kedagang has a slightly lighter green color and the color of the young leaves is red. The price of commercial Bucephalandra is not much different from that of brownie, which is around $0.70 – $1 for some rhizomes.
Bucephalandra godzilla
As the name implies, Bucephalandra godzilla has a larger leaf size than other types. The spots on the leaves that are usually clearly visible are not so visible on this type of buce. The edges of the leaves are still wavy but with a longer or oval shape. The color of the leaves is also dark green. Although the leaves are relatively larger, the price for this buce is not too different from other types. The price of Bucephalandra godzilla ranges from $0.70– 2.50 depending on the number of portions. Usually, for $0.70, you only get a few rhizomes, while at higher prices, you get a portion of mica plastic or even a basket.
Bucephalandra skeleton king dark achilles
The name of this bucephalandra reminds me of the names of many monsters in the game. It doesn’t reflect that this is the name of the plant at all if you don’t see the picture too. But when I saw the picture I felt a little understand why this bucephalandra has such a scary name. The leaves are quite large and dark in color, the fingers of the leaves are also clearly visible.
It is true that it is given the name skeleton king dark achilles, because the leaves are large and have leaf fingers that are similar to skeletons, then the leaves are dark in color. The price ranges from $0.65 – $1 per rhizome.
Bucephalandra pandora queen
This type of Bucephalandra has leaves that are quite small even though they are still oval in shape. I like the colors of this breed which are either red or blackish purple. Basically, the color of bucephalandra tends to be dark. This color will add to the variety of colors in the aquascape later which is usually dominated by green and sometimes red. The price of Bucephalandra Pandora Queen ranges from $0.70 – $1.70.
Common problems appear in bucephalandra
Despite being very easy to care for, bucephalandras can also get into trouble. The problem that may often arise when the aquascape is not balanced is algae. In general, plants that have a slow growth rate are more susceptible to algae attack. Another problem that often arises and may be surprising is the occurrence of discoloration in bucephalandras.
This color change is actually a common thing. The reason is that the plant you bought is still a land leaf. If so, the possible color of this land leaf is green. Then after being placed in the water, new leaves that have adapted to live in the water will appear and are usually darker in color. So, don’t be surprised if later you buy Bucephalandra but the leaf color is green and not what it should be. Try to give time for new leaves to grow and show their true colors.
How to propagate bucephalandra
How to reproduce bucephalandra is to cut the rhizome. It should be noted that when cutting rhizomes there are several leaves for each cut rhizome. These leaves will serve as a tool for photosynthesis and growth. Cutting rhizomes is also important if you buy Bucephalandra in the form of clumps or connected clumps. This usually happens if you buy this plant in large quantities. Bucephalandra will live and grow faster when separated into smaller pieces and spaced when replanted.