Bucephalandra 'Catherine'

Bucephalandra 'Catherine' is one of the personally named cultivars in the genus — a tradition in the Bucephalandra collecting community of naming exceptional finds after the discoverers or their family members. It produces smooth, well-proportioned oval leaves with a rich forest-green base colour and a consistent blue-green iridescence that is reliable across both new and mature leaves.

The cultivar is prized for its consistent beauty and reliable performance under a range of conditions. It is moderately adaptable for a Bucephalandra, performing well in both soft and moderately hard water, and producing acceptable growth even without CO2 injection — though CO2 and medium light remain the recommended approach for best results.

As a named collector cultivar, 'Catherine' carries a story as well as visual appeal, and it is often featured in collector showcases and aquascape competitions. It serves equally well as a solo specimen in a nano layout or as part of a curated Bucephalandra collection on a feature stone.

Light: low to medium; blue-green iridescence is consistent under a range of lighting conditions, peaking under medium white-spectrum LED. CO2: recommended; growth and leaf quality are meaningfully improved with CO2 supplementation. Fertilisation: light liquid micronutrient dosing every 2–4 weeks; consistent iron supports the deep green leaf base colour. Placement: foreground to midground on any attractive hardscape; oval leaf form is versatile and complements most aquascape styles. Propagation: divide rhizome into sections of 2–3 leaves; moderately reliable rhizome branching provides propagation material over time.