Bucephalandra 'Kedagang Purple' - Plant

Bucephalandra ‘Kedagang Purple’ is a recently introduced variety in the aquarium hobby. It has exceptional iridescence, textured leaves, and rich purple-blue tones, making it popular amongst collectors and aquascapers alike. Native to the stream systems of Borneo, this slow-growing epiphyte naturally grows attached to rocks and wood in fast-flowing environments.

The leaves are elongated and slightly wavy, displaying a remarkable range of colours depending on lighting and water conditions. Mature foliage often exhibits deep shades of purple, blue, bronze, and dark green, while the surface reflects an intense metallic sheen when viewed from different angles. New leaves frequently emerge with reddish or copper tones before developing their mature colouration.

It is adaptable to both low-tech and high-tech aquariums. While it grows successfully without CO₂ injection, stable fertilisation and additional CO₂ often improve leaf size, colour intensity, and growth rate.

Plant in substrate or attach the plant to hardscape such as driftwood or rocks, allowing the rhizome to be exposed to flowing water. This plant is well-suited for low-tech set ups, but an RGB light will dramatically help to bring out colouration of the leaves. A good balance of light and nutrients is important to control algae growth on this plant.

To propagate, cut the rhizome with at least three leaves replant.