Plant Profile
Common Name:Â Bucephalandra Deep Purple
Buce ‘Deep Purple’ is a small to medium-sized aquarium plant featuring compact, teardrop-shaped leaves that transition from dark green to deep olive tones. This variety is highly prized for its pronounced iridescent coloration, revealing a rich array of deep purplish and blue hues once it has successfully adapted to underwater life. It's a great pick for nano tanks, where its diminutive scale will create a dense, jewel-toned focal point within a planted tank. Grow it emersed or submerged and attach it to hardscape for best results.
Key Features & Notes
- Under high-quality full-spectrum LED lighting, the mature foliage develops a metallic purple sheen that is considered among the most vibrant in the genus.
- The short, oval-to-teardrop leaf shape allows for extremely fine detailing in tight crevices and high-impact foreground clusters.
- This is one of the most durable species in the hobby and thrives in shaded areas. It is an ideal choice for aquascapes where other plants might struggle.
- It is perfectly at home fully submerged in an aquarium or emersed in high-humidity terrariums, vivariums, and paludariums.
Care Tips & Preparation
- Bucephalandra is an epiphytic plant that should be attached to rocks or driftwood. Never bury the rhizome in substrate, as this will cause the plant to rot and melt.
- Carefully remove the plant from its pot and clear away all rockwool from the roots. For a deep dive on prepping potted plants, click here.
- Avoid making drastic changes to your water parameters or lighting. Unstable conditions are the primary cause of leaf melt in new specimens.
- While this plant is hardy and low-maintenance, CO2 injection will yield much faster growth. We recommend researching your specific water chemistry to ensure your plant thrives.
- Final size and coloration depend entirely on your specific aquarium conditions. Please note that photos are a representation, and individual plants may vary.
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Please research appropriately to ensure your plant thrives.
Additional Information
Listed information should be treated as general guidelines only. Team Buce Plant encourages you to do thorough research to ensure healthy growth!
Family Name: Araceae
Origin: Borneo (Endemic)
Skill Level: Easy
Growth Rate: Slow
Light: Low to Medium
CO2: Not necessary but recommended
pH Range: 6.0 – 7.5
Propagation: Divide the rhizome with sharp scissors
