Bucephalandra Tissue Culture [Multiple Plants]

Bucephalandra sp. (Tissue Culture) — Bucephalandra Tissue Culture [Multiple Plants]

Jewel-toned Borneo rhizome plants, pest- and algae-free from in vitro culture — hardy as Anubias

Bucephalandra — affectionately called "Buce" — is one of the most prized and characterful plants in the hobby. Native to Borneo, these varied rhizome plants are loved for their jewel-like colors (greens, blues, purples, and reds), often with an iridescent sparkle, textured, bumpy leaves, and delicate white flowers. Hardy, slow-growing, and low-light-friendly, they're frequently compared to Anubias in how easy they are to keep. Like Anubias, they're epiphytes that attach to rock and driftwood rather than substrate. Best of all, this listing is grown in sterile tissue culture — arriving completely free of pests, snails, algae, and contaminants, with multiple plantlets in every cup.

Before you plant — tissue culture prep: Three quick steps: (1) Gently rinse the nutrient gel off the roots — briefly rinse under water, or soak and rub it off with your fingers (leftover gel fouls water and can mold). (2) Separate the multiple small plantlets so you can plant them individually. (3) Attach the rhizome to rock or driftwood with glue or thread — do not bury the rhizome in substrate, as that causes rot. The roots grip the hardscape on their own within a few weeks.

AT A GLANCE

CARE GUIDE

CUSTOMER QUESTIONS ANSWERED

(Q) It melted and dropped leaves after planting — is it dying?

= Usually not — this is normal for Bucephalandra, and especially common with tissue-culture plants. "Buce" can shed some or all of its leaves when transitioning to a new tank, and tissue-culture plants in particular may melt as they convert from the sterile in-vitro (emersed) environment to life submerged in your aquarium. The rhizome stays alive underneath the whole time and regrows fresh submerged leaves. Don't discard it — keep it attached to your hardscape with stable conditions, and new growth will follow. Buce melt can look alarming, but it typically recovers and comes back stronger.

(Q) What's the advantage of tissue culture, and how many plants do I get?

= Tissue culture (in vitro) plants are grown in a sterile lab, so they arrive completely free of pest snails, algae, parasites, and other contaminants. That's a major advantage if you want to avoid introducing hitchhikers — pest snail outbreaks and algae are two of the most common problems that come from adding plants, and tissue culture sidesteps both, making it one of the cleanest, safest ways to add greenery to your tank. And because each cup contains multiple small plantlets, you get several plants to separate and spread across your rocks and driftwood — excellent value from a single cup.

(Q) What colors will I get, and will it look like the photos?

= Bucephalandra is a highly variable group — that's part of its appeal — so colors and leaf shapes differ from plant to plant. You may receive greens, blues, purples, or reddish tones with varying textures. Because of this natural variation, and because tissue-culture plants start small and less colorful before developing their characteristic submerged leaves, your plants may look different from the sample photos at first. That's completely normal for Buce: the jewel-like colors and textured leaves deepen and reveal themselves as the plants settle in and grow. Think of each one as a little unique.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

1 Bucephalandra tissue culture cup containing multiple plantlets, grown in-vitro and free of pests, snails, and algae. Rinse the gel off, separate the plantlets, and attach the rhizome to rock or driftwood — do not bury it (see the prep notes above). Colors and species vary. Photos are representative of the species; your specimens may vary.

Ships within 10–15 business days.