Bucephalandra Kedagang Round is an easy, slow-growing Buce for rock and wood, and it needs neither CO2 nor strong light.
Did you know
Kedagang is one of the busiest labels in Bucephalandra. Shops carry Kedagang, Kedagang Mini, Kedagang Round, Mini Round and red forms under the same banner.
Caring for Bucephalandra Kedagang Round
Glue or tie the rhizome to rock or wood, and keep it out of the substrate. A buried rhizome rots.
Give Bucephalandra Kedagang Round low to medium light. It is happiest shaded, where the slow-growing leaves stay ahead of algae. CO2 and liquid fertilizer are optional, but they bring out the metallic sheen and a faster leaf count. Liquid feeding suits it, since it draws nutrients from the water as well as through its roots.
It grows slowly and rarely needs trimming. Divide the rhizome to propagate.
Stable water matters more than rich water. Keep it at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C), since swings in pH or temperature trigger melt.
Good to know
Bucephalandra names are collector shorthand, not botany. Kedagang Round differs from plain Kedagang in leaf shape. Plain Kedagang grows long, narrow blades, while Round has broad, oval leaves with rounded tips and often wavy edges. The leaves sit on reddish stalks and run dark green to red-brown, with fine pale dots and a blue metallic sheen underwater. It belongs to the family Araceae, tribe Schismatoglottideae, and like the rest of the genus it is often grouped with Bucephalandra motleyana.
In the wild
Bucephalandra Kedagang Round is a trade selection within the Kedagang group, so its wild context is the parent's. That is the Kedagang area of Kalimantan on Borneo, where these rheophytes grip rock and wood in fast, soft-water streams. They sit emersed on the banks in the dry season and fully submersed when the water rises. Round itself is farmed trade stock rather than a distinct wild population.
Common questions
Does Bucephalandra Kedagang Round need to be planted in the substrate?
No. Bucephalandra Kedagang Round 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 Kedagang Round need CO2?
No, but it helps. Bucephalandra Kedagang Round can grow without injected CO2, and added CO2 makes it grow faster.
How much light does Bucephalandra Kedagang Round need?
Bucephalandra Kedagang Round is a low-light plant, and the light that comes with a standard tank kit is enough for it.
Does Bucephalandra Kedagang Round need root tabs?
No. Bucephalandra Kedagang Round 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 Kedagang Round?
Bucephalandra Kedagang Round propagates by rhizome division. Cut the rhizome into pieces with several leaves each, then tie or plant each piece.
How tall does Bucephalandra Kedagang Round grow?
Bucephalandra Kedagang Round grows to about 4.7 in (12 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)