About the species

Bucephalandra 'Needle Leaf' has the narrowest leaves in the genus — barely half a centimetre wide. The leaves are green, elongated and slightly waved, dotted with countless tiny white specks, and grow only one to two centimetres long. The youngest part of the creeping rhizome takes on a handsome red tone. It asks a little more than the very easiest varieties, but still counts as an easy plant.

Facts

• Latin name: Bucephalandra sp. 'Needle Leaf'
• Plant type: Rhizome plant
• Origin: Asia
• Height: 3–5 cm
• Growth rate: Slow
• Position: Wood and stone

Light requirement

Low light requirement. It manages with the lighting that comes with most aquariums and is happy in partial shade behind or beneath taller plants. Strong lighting does not harm it, but raises the risk of algae on the leaves because the plant cannot use all the available light.

CO₂ & nutrition

Manages entirely without added CO₂, which makes it as suitable for a simple aquarium as for an aquascape. Liquid carbon or injected CO₂ speeds up growth but is never a requirement. Dose an all-round fertiliser with iron and micronutrients every week.

Planting

The rhizome must never go into the substrate — it will rot. Instead tie or glue the plant onto a piece of wood or a stone using fishing line, thread or plant glue, and leave it until the roots have taken hold on their own. It can also simply be wedged into a crevice in the hardscape.

Carefully remove the pot and rinse the rock wool off the roots before planting — leftover rock wool can otherwise hinder rooting.

Care & propagation

It needs almost no maintenance at all. Propagation is simple: divide the rhizome with sharp scissors or a knife so each piece keeps at least three or four leaves. Make sure there is a gentle current past the plant so no debris collects between the leaves.

Position in the aquarium

It grows on hardscape rather than in the substrate, so it can be placed anywhere in the aquarium — on a piece of wood, a stone or a back wall. That makes it as useful in the foreground as high up in the layout.

Difficulty level

🟡 Moderate — wants stable lighting and regular fertilisation to look its best.

Delivery format

Delivered as a pot grown submerged, with the roots in rock wool. The pot holds several plants or stems that can be divided and planted separately.

Recommendation

The delicate leaf shape shows to best advantage on a small stone or twig in the foreground, preferably several specimens together. Set it next to a broad-leaved variety and the two bring out each other.