Cryptocoryne undulata

Care at a glance

Overview

An undemanding midground crypt that does well in low light with no added CO2, though CO2 and richer dosing deepen the leaf colour and speed things up. It is a root feeder, so push root tabs or use a nutrient substrate near the base. Plant the crown just above the substrate and then leave it alone, because moving or replanting it often triggers crypt melt where the leaves dissolve. New growth returns from the rooted rhizome within a few weeks, and it slowly spreads by runners into a dense stand.

In the wild

Cryptocoryne undulata comes from streams and slow rivers in central Sri Lanka, growing as a marsh plant that spends part of the year submersed and part emersed when water levels drop. It forms low rosettes of narrow, wavy-edged leaves that range from olive green to reddish brown depending on light. It belongs to the closely related C. wendtii and C. beckettii group from the same region.

Good to know

Described by Wendt, this species was long lumped under C. willisii in older aquarium literature before being recognized as distinct. Kew's Plants of the World Online lists Cryptocoryne axelrodii and Cryptocoryne willisii among its synonyms. Like other crypts it is an aroid, producing a hooded spathe rather than a conventional flower, and the throat colour is one of the few reliable features for telling these wendtii-group species apart.

Did you know

Did you know the wavy, almost crinkled leaf edge that gives undulata its name is largely a submersed trait? Grown emersed above the waterline the leaves flatten out and look much like its plainer relatives.

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