Borneo (trade clone, species and collection site unknown)
Overview
Bucephalandra Artemis is a compact Buce that stays 5 to 10 cm tall. It works as an easy detail plant in the midground or along the front of a hardscape.
Did you know
Artemis holds its leaves in a crown that looks like a miniature palm tree. Buce Plant suggests using that shape to create a sense of scale in nanoaquascapes.
Caring for Bucephalandra Artemis
Fix Artemis to driftwood or stone with thread or gel glue. Leave the rhizome exposed to the water, since a buried rhizome rots.
Keep the light low to medium, because stronger light invites algae on such slow leaves. RGB or full-spectrum LEDs bring out its violet highlights, while a warm white lamp shows the leaves as plain dark green. It grows without injected CO2, and CO2 speeds it up. It takes nutrients through its roots and from the water, so dose a liquid fertilizer, and keep it at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C).
Expect less than 5 cm of new growth in a year, so plant several rhizomes to cover a piece of wood. Once a clump fills in, divide the rhizome into pieces with several leaves each.
Good to know
Artemis grows from a creeping rhizome, much like Anubias, its relative in the family Araceae. Its elongated, dark green leaves have crinkled, wavy margins and sit on red stalks. The green carries bronze undertones, and moderate to strong light adds a silvery sheen. Artemis has darker, narrower leaves than Wavy Green and lacks the near-black velvet look of the Velvet forms.
In the wild
Artemis has no published species or collection site. It is sold farm-raised, and as a tissue-culture cup at Aquarium Plants Factory. The genus is native to Borneo, where the plants cling to rocks in fast, shaded streams. They switch between submersed and emersed leaves as the water rises and falls with the seasons.
Common questions
Does Bucephalandra Artemis need to be planted in the substrate?
No. Bucephalandra Artemis 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 Artemis need CO2?
No, but it helps. Bucephalandra Artemis can grow without injected CO2, and added CO2 makes it grow faster.
How much light does Bucephalandra Artemis need?
Bucephalandra Artemis is a low-light plant, and the light that comes with a standard tank kit is enough for it.
Does Bucephalandra Artemis need root tabs?
No. Bucephalandra Artemis 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 Artemis?
Bucephalandra Artemis propagates by rhizome division. Cut the rhizome into pieces with several leaves each, then tie or plant each piece.
How tall does Bucephalandra Artemis grow?
Bucephalandra Artemis grows to about 3.9 in (10 cm) tall. It grows slowly and rarely needs trimming.
Low lightEpiphyte3.9 in (10 cm)
Low lightEpiphyte2.4 in (6 cm)
Low lightEpiphyte2.4 in (6 cm)