🌿 Bucephalandra ‘Purple’ – Complete Care Guide

Bucephalandra ‘Purple’ is a popular, slow-growing rheophytic plant known for its deep purple to bluish iridescent leaves, compact form, and ease of care. Excellent for nano tanks, aquascaping, and low-tech setups.

⭐ Appearance

• Leaf Color: Dark green to deep purple; often shows blue or metallic shimmer under strong light.

• Leaf Shape: Narrow to lance-shaped.

• Size: Typically 3–8 cm tall depending on conditions.

• Growth Pattern: Forms small, bushy clumps; rhizome-based.

🌱 Growth & Requirements

Light

• Low to medium preferred.

• Strong light enhances purple/blue iridescence, but avoid direct intense lighting to prevent algae.

CO₂

• Not required, but CO₂ improves:

  • leaf color

  • growth speed

  • overall density

Water Parameters

• Temperature: 22–28°C

• pH: 5.5–7.5

• Hardness: Soft to medium-hard water

• Flow: Mild to moderate (they naturally grow on river rocks)

Substrate

• Not needed; grows attached to:

  • rocks

  • wood

  • lava rock

• Important: Do not bury the rhizome.

💧 Maintenance

• Very slow grower.

• Remove old leaves occasionally.

• Tolerates trimming—cut rhizome to propagate.

🍃 Propagation

• Cut the rhizome into sections (each with at least 3–5 leaves).

• Tie or glue to hardscape.

• New shoots appear from rhizome points over weeks.

🌈 Special Features

• Iridescent “purple shimmer” is most visible under:

  • high clarity water

  • clean surfaces (minimal algae)

  • good LED spectrum lighting

• Colors shift depending on angle.

🐠 Tank Placement

• Foreground or mid-ground

• Works beautifully in:

  • nature-style aquascapes

  • rock-based layouts

  • nano aquariums

🧪 Fertilization

• Benefits from:

  • low to moderate liquid ferts

  • root tabs unnecessary unless grown in substrate

• Avoid over-fertilizing to prevent algae on leaves.

⚠️ Common Issues

Melting

• Often after planting or stress.

• Plant recovers slowly with stable parameters.

Algae

• Leaves grow slowly → prone to algae if in direct bright light.

• Place in shaded spots or reduce light intensity.

🪴 Ideal For

• Beginners to advanced aquascapers

• Low-tech planted tanks

• Shimmery highlight spots in aquascapes

• Shrimp tanks (they love grazing biofilm)