Red Buce

Bucephalandra sp. 'Red' is an unnamed trade form of the Bucephalandra complex, the slow-growing epiphytes endemic to the island of Borneo. It circulates simply as 'Red Buce', a name that describes a selection whose leaves show reddish tones under stronger light rather than a formally described species; within the complex its identity is not confirmed. Like all Bucephalandra it is a rhizome plant that grows attached to rock and driftwood, spreading very slowly as a compact mat and staying small enough for the foreground of a nano aquarium. Growth is genuinely slow, and it rewards patience and a settled position more than anything else. It does best in temperatures of 20 to 26 °C with a pH of 5.5 to 7, and benefits from CO2 enrichment to keep it growing steadily.