Borneo (trade clone, species and collection site unknown)
Overview
Arrogant Blue is a small Buce that grows 2.5 to 6 cm tall and fits the foreground, nano tanks and small gaps in rockwork. It is easy to grow on stone.
Did you know
Arrogant Blue turns purple-blue on its "water leaves", which is what collectors call the leaves a Buce grows underwater. A pot grown fully submerged shows the color sooner than one grown emersed.
Caring for Bucephalandra Arrogant Blue
Secure the rhizome to rock with a dab of glue or a loop of thread, and never bury it. A buried rhizome rots.
Low to medium light, about 15 to 40 PAR, is enough to grow Arrogant Blue. Good LED lighting brings out the sheen on its leaves. It grows slowly without injected CO2, and CO2 with a regular liquid fertilizer speeds growth and deepens the blue. It takes nutrients through its roots and from the water. Keep it at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C).
Keep water and lighting steady, because sudden swings often make new plants shed leaves. Once a clump branches, cut the rhizome into pieces with several leaves each to make new plants.
Good to know
Arrogant Blue belongs to the arum family, Araceae. It carries "sp." in its name because it has not been matched to a described Bucephalandra species. Its small oval leaves have slightly ruffled edges and a pronounced midrib. Leaf color runs from olive green to a deep purplish blue, with a metallic sheen and fine speckles. Brownie Blue, the closest look-alike, has broader, rounder and more strongly waved leaves.
In the wild
Arrogant Blue is a trade clone, and no seller names its species or the stream it came from. All Bucephalandra come from Borneo, where they root on rocks in and beside shaded rainforest rivers. They sit underwater when the rivers run high and grow in open air through dry spells.
Common questions
Does Bucephalandra Arrogant Blue need to be planted in the substrate?
No. Bucephalandra Arrogant Blue grows attached to rock or wood, so tie or glue the rhizome in place. If you plant its roots, keep the rhizome above the substrate, since a buried rhizome rots.
Does Bucephalandra Arrogant Blue need CO2?
No, but it helps. Bucephalandra Arrogant Blue can grow without injected CO2, and added CO2 makes it grow faster.
How much light does Bucephalandra Arrogant Blue need?
Bucephalandra Arrogant Blue is a low-light plant, and the light that comes with a standard tank kit is enough for it.
Does Bucephalandra Arrogant Blue need root tabs?
No. Bucephalandra Arrogant Blue feeds from the water, so a liquid fertilizer suits it better. Root tabs only help if its roots reach into the substrate.
How do you propagate Bucephalandra Arrogant Blue?
Bucephalandra Arrogant Blue propagates by rhizome division. Cut the rhizome into pieces with several leaves each, then tie or plant each piece.
How tall does Bucephalandra Arrogant Blue grow?
Bucephalandra Arrogant Blue grows to about 2.4 in (6 cm) tall. It grows slowly and rarely needs trimming.
Low lightEpiphyte2.4 in (6 cm)
Low lightEpiphyte2.4 in (6 cm)
Low lightEpiphyte3.9 in (10 cm)