Chasing genuine purple in a low-tech tank? Brownie Ghost 2011 is one of the few plants that delivers it — lilac and deep purple tones that develop once the plant is submerged, with no CO₂, no high light and no special dosing required.
What You'll Receive
- One sealed 4-inch Vitro Culture® tissue culture bag
- Approximately 4 small plantlets grown in sterile nutrient gel
- 100% free from snails, algae, pesticides and pathogens
- Rinse the gel away and separate the plantlets before planting
Plant Profile
- Common name — Brownie Ghost 2011, Buce 2011
- Scientific name — Bucephalandra sp. 'Brownie Ghost 2011'
- Origin — Borneo Island, Indonesia
- Placement — Foreground to midground, on wood or stone
- Mature height — 2–4 in
- Growth rate — Slow
Care
- Difficulty — Beginner. Rare to buy, easy to keep
- Light — Low to medium. Bright light brings algae it cannot outgrow
- CO₂ — Not required. It deepens color and speeds growth, nothing more
- Water — 72–82°F · pH 6.0–7.5
- Feeding — Root and water column
- Propagation — Rhizome division
Grower's Notes
- Never bury the rhizome. Roots may sit in substrate; the rhizome cannot. Buried, it rots — the usual way an expensive Buce is lost. Tie or glue it to hardscape with the rhizome exposed.
- It arrives green and colors up slowly. Tissue culture plantlets are grown emersed, and the lilac and purple only develop over weeks to months of submersed growth. Judge the color at three months, not on day one.
- Expect transitional melt in the first fortnight. The rhizome stays alive and pushes new leaves — don't bin it.
- Rinse the gel off completely and separate the four plantlets before attaching. Sterile media means no snails or algae, so it goes straight into a shrimp tank with no quarantine.
- Farm-raised, not wild-collected. All the Bucephalandra we carry is farm-grown, and much of it is raised from tissue culture rather than collected from Borneo.
Want to go deeper? Read our complete Bucephalandra Care Guide.
Notes
- Photos are for reference. Color intensity varies with lighting, CO₂ and tank conditions, and growth form changes as the plant transitions from tissue culture to submersed life.
- Never release aquarium plants into natural waterways.
At a glance
- Free shipping on orders of $150 or more (after discounts) within the contiguous United States, by USPS.
- Free thermal protection is included with every shipment, all year round.
- Processing: most orders leave us within 1 to 2 business days. Tracking is emailed when your order ships.
- USPS (2 to 5 business days) ships Monday through Saturday.
- UPS 2nd Day Air® ships Monday through Wednesday. Order by Tuesday at 6:00 AM Pacific Time for same-week delivery.
- UPS Next Day Air® ships Monday through Thursday. Order by Wednesday at 6:00 AM Pacific Time for same-week delivery.
- Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and military addresses ship by USPS at a flat rate shown at checkout.
- Weather holds: during extreme heat or cold we may hold live orders until it's safe to ship.
- We ship within the United States only.
Please bring live plants indoors and unpack them the day they arrive. Every live order is covered by our 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee.
The complete rules, including lost packages and address issues, are in our Shipping Policy. If anything conflicts, that policy applies.
Every live order is backed by our 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee. If a plant arrives dead, we'll make it right.
How it works
- Tell us within 24 hours of the delivery time on your tracking.
- Send photos of the affected items in their original, unopened packaging, plus a photo of the shipping label, to hello@aquariumplantsfactory.com with your order number.
- We'll make it right with a replacement, store credit or refund for the affected item.
Good to know
- Some melting or yellowing as plants adjust from greenhouse to aquarium life is normal. They regrow from healthy roots and rhizomes.
- Please bring your package indoors and unpack it the day it arrives.
- Free promotional items and shipping charges are not covered.
The complete rules, including what's covered and what voids the guarantee, are in our Returns, Refunds & Live Arrival Guarantee. If anything conflicts, that policy applies.
Please review your state's regulations on restricted plants, as we are committed to not shipping plants that are restricted in your area. Do not release any plants into the wild or waterways, as this can harm local ecosystems by introducing invasive species.
Your cooperation in protecting the environment is appreciated. For continuously updated information, refer to the USDA State Noxious Weed list here.
Thank you for your responsible commitment to environmental preservation.
Customers praised this vitro culture aquarium plant for its stunning appearance, with one noting it "looks even better in person." Shoppers were impressed by the healthy plants, excellent packaging with gel blocks, and beautiful bronze/red to purple coloration. One customer called it "the healthiest plants I've ever purchased anywhere." Growing well in low-tech tanks.
- Best aquarium purchase ever made. These were the healthiest plants I've ever purchased anywhere.
- So cute, like little bushes of green and pink. Not a single dead leaf found in the plantlings.
- Truly beautiful. It looks even better in person.
C
The absolute best looking Culture I’ve ever received from a website. And packaged so well. Will definitely w buying more. This is my go to place now.
N
These plants are so cute, like little bushes of green and pink. New leaves are showing a bronze/red coloration. Not a single dead leaf was found in the plantlings. They arrived with the appearance of image 2 provided on the products page, but with new growth coloration. It has only been two days, but they are not melting. They arrived in gel blocks, which as a researcher, made me happy to see the amount of modern propagation procedures used in these cultures. I cannot wait until they receive their characteristic purple coloration. The packaging was immaculate with a foil covered box and insulation material inside. The plants were packaged inside vacuum seal like plastic bags. I will update this review once they gain their iconic purple coloration.
A
I’m excited to have this in the tank. Looks great on the driftwood. I split 5 plants from the bag.
S
Pictures don’t do this plant justice, the name “brownie ghost” is so fitting for this species when you see it up close and personal. You could have an ultra rare fish in your tank and nobody would care, this bucephalandra will steal the show I am truly just speechless. There’s other reviews of people saying their plants weren’t healthy, or established etc, my experience couldn’t be further than that. These were the healthiest plants I’ve ever purchased anywhere , and there was tons of it.
A
Gorgeous, just gorgeous. Got 4 individual rhizomes from this tissue culture. Can't wait to see the new colored leaves
K
The plants came in excellent shape and there were a bunch of plants in a single order. The price is unmatched as I cant find these for anything less than $20+ per single plant. All my plants came in super healthy and leaves were perfect! Cant wait to order more!
M
Tissue culture came in great shape. Really happy with it.
N
The Bucephalandra Brownie Ghost 2011 is truly beautiful. I’m very happy with my purchase and definitely don’t regret buying it. It looks even better in person.
T
Looked great
J
Generous portions of healthy plant tissue culture
J
I purchased this when it was first offered and was sent clippings that barely had rhizomes. Needless to say, they died. APF sent me a gift card, but we're sold out. This one is much better. 4 somewhat establshed plantlets. These have rhizomes and roots and none have melted. I'm very happy with them.
J
Growing well in my low-tech tank, looks just lovely
P
Very happy with what I received. They were in great shape and color.
B
Nice and healthy plants
A
Doesn’t look exactly like my friend’s ghost 2011 he’s been growing for years, but upon receiving it it had a beautiful dark color and was extremely healthy. I’m curious to see if the color changes at all in my tank
R
Plants that I received were healthy, packed very well and shipped quickly!
M
Do you ship to Colombia?
Sorry, we only ship within USA at the moment.
j
Hello. I am currently residing in South Korea. Have these plants been tissue-cultured? Additionally, are they sealed? South Korea has strict regulations for plant imports, and I'm wondering if there are documents available to prove that these plants have been tissue-cultured.
Furthermore, we require a phytosanitary certificate from the exporting country. The phytosanitary certificate should include the following statement: 'As a result of the verification of the relevant tissue culture facility (facility name, address) and procedures, it is acknowledged that the plants in this shipment were produced utilizing tissue culture under sterile conditions.'
Hello, we only ship to the USA at the moment.
F
Is this really bucephalandra brownie ghost 2011? Will it develope the deep rich purple colors as it ages?
Yes, this is the genuine Brownie Ghost 2011 line, originally discovered by botanist Peter Boyce on Borneo Island and grown from tissue culture under sterile lab conditions. It's celebrated specifically for developing intense lilac and deep purple hues once grown submerged, so you can absolutely expect that coloration to come through - just keep in mind it's an extremely slow grower, so the deepest purple tones will develop gradually as the plant matures in your tank.
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