TankBud

Bucephalandra catherineae

Also known as Bucephalandra Catherinae, Buce Catherinae, Bucephalandra catherinae

FreshwaterRhizomeRhizome divisionSide shoots

Bucephalandra catherineae (Bucephalandra catherineae)
"Bucephalandra Fake Catherinae G 2" by Dũng Cá Xinh is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/. · pdm

Care at a glance

Light
Low light
CO2
CO₂ beneficial
Temperature
72–82°F
22–28°C
Max height
2.4 in
6 cm
Growth rate
Slow
Placement
Epiphyte
Type
Rhizome
pH
6.0–8.0
Hardness
4–15 dGH
Spread
3.9 in (10 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Easy
Family
Araceae
Origin
Borneo (North Kalimantan), Indonesia

Overview

Bucephalandra catherineae is one of the more compact Buce, used low in the layout as a foreground-to-midground accent. It is an easy plant for rock.

Did you know

Bucephalandra catherineae honors Eleanor Catherine, the botanical artist illustrating its authors' book, The Genera of Araceae. The book was published in 1997.

Caring for Bucephalandra catherineae

Glue or wedge Bucephalandra catherineae onto rock and hardscape with the rhizome left exposed. Never bury the rhizome, or it will melt.

It is undemanding in low light and grows without CO2, though injected CO2 and steady dosing improve growth and color. It takes nutrients through its roots and from the water, so a liquid fertilizer suits it. Keep it at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C) with a pH of 6 to 8.

Expect slow, steady leaf production. Divide the rhizome into pieces with several leaves each. You can also cut off a side shoot once it has a few leaves and tie it down on its own.

Good to know

Unlike most Buce in the trade, Bucephalandra catherineae is a validly published species in the family Araceae. P.C. Boyce, J. Bogner and S.J. Mayo described it in 1995 in Curtis's Botanical Magazine. The plants shops sell as Catherinae are short, densely tufted and low-growing. Their narrow, wavy, deep emerald leaves sit on short stalks and can flush red or purple under brighter light. Wong and Boyce (2014) link no trade name to the species, so these green and red shop clones remain unconfirmed as B. catherineae. Shops usually spell the name "Catherinae".

In the wild

Bucephalandra catherineae is known with certainty only from its type locality at Apo Kayan in North Kalimantan, Indonesia. It grows there on basalt boulders beside a river in wet hill forest at about 600 m. It sits submersed when rivers are high and emersed on exposed stone when levels drop, gripping rock with tough roots like Anubias. Look-alike plants from shaded riverside granite near Nanga Pinoh in West Kalimantan, about 450 km southwest, are not confirmed as this species.

Common questions

Does Bucephalandra catherineae need to be planted in the substrate?

No. Bucephalandra catherineae 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 catherineae need CO2?

No, but it helps. Bucephalandra catherineae can grow without injected CO2, and added CO2 makes it grow faster.

How much light does Bucephalandra catherineae need?

Bucephalandra catherineae is a low-light plant, and the light that comes with a standard tank kit is enough for it.

Does Bucephalandra catherineae need root tabs?

No. Bucephalandra catherineae 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 catherineae?

Bucephalandra catherineae 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 catherineae grow?

Bucephalandra catherineae grows to about 2.4 in (6 cm) tall. It grows slowly and rarely needs trimming.

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