Bucephalandra Brownie Purple forms a small, bushy clump up to about 6 cm tall. It is an easy fit for nano tanks and rock crevices.
Did you know
Brownie Purple is brown-green to light reddish under water, says Aquasabi, which sells it as tissue culture. Aquarium Plants Factory says the violet needs some blue in the light, and warm white makes the same plant read plain brown.
Caring for Bucephalandra Brownie Purple
Glue or tie Brownie Purple to hardscape and leave the rhizome bare. Emersed-grown pots often arrive green, and the brown-green to purple-bronze color comes with the new submersed leaves. Keep the water steady while it converts.
Low light keeps it growing, but it looks best with moderate light, CO2, steady nutrients and good flow. It takes nutrients through its roots and from the water, so dose a liquid fertilizer. Keep it at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C).
It grows slowly. Cut off branch tips to start new plants, which also makes the clump bushier. You can also divide the rhizome once it branches.
Good to know
Brownie Purple is a small aroid, family Araceae, with teardrop-shaped (spathulate) leaves. Aquasabi measures them at 2 to 2.5 cm long and 8 to 9 mm wide. The edges are wavy and crinkled, and the leaves cluster at the tips of a branched, upright rhizome. Aquasabi likens it to small forms of B. pygmaea, while Wong and Boyce (2014) put the Brownie series in the undetermined B. motleyana complex. Deep Purple, a similar small dark Buce, has smooth, flat-edged leaves instead.
In the wild
Brownie Purple has no known species or exact origin, Aquasabi says. Like the rest of the genus, it comes from Borneo, where Bucephalandra grow on rock beside fast-flowing forest streams. Those streams cover the plants in the wet season and leave them emersed in the dry. Shop stock is raised in labs and on farms.
Common questions
Does Bucephalandra Brownie Purple need to be planted in the substrate?
No. Bucephalandra Brownie Purple 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 Brownie Purple need CO2?
No, but it helps. Bucephalandra Brownie Purple can grow without injected CO2, and added CO2 makes it grow faster.
How much light does Bucephalandra Brownie Purple need?
Bucephalandra Brownie Purple is a low-light plant, and the light that comes with a standard tank kit is enough for it.
Does Bucephalandra Brownie Purple need root tabs?
No. Bucephalandra Brownie Purple 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 Brownie Purple?
Bucephalandra Brownie Purple propagates by rhizome division and side shoots. Cut the rhizome into pieces with several leaves each, then tie or plant each piece. Cut a side shoot off once it has a few leaves and tie it down on its own.
How tall does Bucephalandra Brownie Purple grow?
Bucephalandra Brownie Purple 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)