Bucephalandra Wavy Green

Care at a glance

Overview

Grow it like Anubias: tie or glue the rhizome to wood or rock and never bury it, or the rhizome will rot. It stays compact and bushy, branching readily to form a dense clump without trimming, which suits midground stones and driftwood joints. It tolerates low light and no CO2, but a little extra light and injected CO2 tighten growth and deepen colour. Expect roughly one new leaf every one to two weeks.

In the wild

Like all Bucephalandra it is endemic to the island of Borneo, where it grows on rocks and along the banks of fast-flowing rivers and streams in Kalimantan. Plants sit emersed or submersed depending on water level, clinging to stone with tough roots. 'Wavy Green' is one of the widely traded aquarium forms rather than a plant tied to a single documented locality.

Good to know

Bucephalandra is a genus of aroids (family Araceae) closely related to Anubias, sharing the same epiphytic rhizome growth. 'Wavy Green' is an undescribed trade form (hence the 'sp.' designation), one of dozens of commercial names attached to as-yet unclassified collections. The wavy leaf margin and bright green colour are the traits the name refers to, not a formal taxon.

Did you know

Did you know the entire Bucephalandra genus lives only on Borneo, so every 'Wavy Green' in the hobby traces back to that one island, and most trade forms like this one have never been given a formal scientific name.

Related plants

• Bucephalandra Brownie Blue

  Bucephalandra sp. 'Brownie Blue'

  Low lightEpiphyte3.1 in (8 cm)
• Bucephalandra Deep Purple

  Bucephalandra sp. 'Deep Purple'

  Low lightEpiphyte3.1 in (8 cm)

• 

  Bucephalandra motleyana

  Bucephalandra motleyana

  Low lightEpiphyte3.9 in (10 cm)
• Bucephalandra Apple Leaf

  Bucephalandra sp. 'Apple Leaf'

  Low lightEpiphyte3.9 in (10 cm)
• Bucephalandra Godzilla

  Bucephalandra sp. 'Godzilla'

  Medium lightEpiphyte3.9 in (10 cm)
• Bucephalandra Red

  Bucephalandra sp. 'Red'

  Low lightEpiphyte3.9 in (10 cm)