Bucephalandra Wavy Green is a compact, bushy Buce for midground stones and driftwood joints. It is easy, and like Anubias it grows on hardscape rather than in the substrate.
Did you know
The 'IC106' tag often seen on Wavy Green and Sintang stock is a tissue-culture lab code. Most Bucephalandra in the trade today is lab-propagated to protect the slow-growing wild populations in Borneo.
Caring for Bucephalandra Wavy Green
Tie or glue the rhizome to wood or rock, and never bury it. A buried rhizome rots.
Bucephalandra Wavy Green tolerates low light and no CO2. A little extra light and injected CO2 tighten its growth and deepen its color. It feeds from the water column as well as its roots, so liquid fertilizer suits it better than root tabs. Keep the water at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C).
Expect roughly one new leaf every one to two weeks. It branches readily into a dense clump without trimming. To propagate, divide the rhizome or cut off a side shoot once it has a few leaves and tie it down.
Good to know
Bucephalandra is a genus of aroids (family Araceae) found only on Borneo, closely related to Anubias and sharing its epiphyticrhizome growth. ADA, Tropica and Dennerle sell this plant as Bucephalandra pygmaea, and it is also sold as Sintang and Sintang Green. No published record places that species at Sintang, so the species label comes from the trade. The name Wavy Green refers to the wavy leaf margin and bright green color, not a formal taxon.
In the wild
Bucephalandra Wavy Green is tied to the Sintang district of West Kalimantan on Borneo, around the granite mountain Bukit Kelam. It grows there on rocks along fast-flowing forest streams. Plants sit emersed or submersed depending on water level, clinging to stone with tough roots.
Common questions
Does Bucephalandra Wavy Green need to be planted in the substrate?
No. Bucephalandra Wavy Green 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 Wavy Green need CO2?
No, but it helps. Bucephalandra Wavy Green can grow without injected CO2, and added CO2 makes it grow faster.
How much light does Bucephalandra Wavy Green need?
Bucephalandra Wavy Green is a low-light plant, and the light that comes with a standard tank kit is enough for it.
Does Bucephalandra Wavy Green need root tabs?
No. Bucephalandra Wavy Green 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 Wavy Green?
Bucephalandra Wavy Green 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 Wavy Green grow?
Bucephalandra Wavy Green grows to about 3.1 in (8 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)