Bucephalandra Brownie Purple

Violet with a metallic shift. Bucephalandra sp. 'Brownie Purple' carries deep purple to bronze tones across small, wavy-edged leaves, with a blue iridescent sheen that changes as you move past the tank. From the fast-flowing forest streams of Borneo, where it grows clinging to rock.

What You’ll Receive

Sold as loose bare-root plants:

• 1 Plant: Loose bare-root with approximately 6+ leaves
• 5 Plants: Loose bare-root with approximately 25+ leaves total
• 10 Plants: Loose bare-root with approximately 50+ leaves total

Plant Profile

• Common name — Brownie Purple Buce
• Scientific name — Bucephalandra sp. 'Brownie Purple'
• Also known as — Buce, Bucep
• Origin — Borneo
• Placement — Foreground to midground, on wood or stone
• Mature height — 2–4 in
• Growth rate — Slow

Care

• Difficulty — Beginner
• Light — Low to medium. Moderate light deepens the purple
• CO₂ — Not required, though it improves growth rate
• Water — 72–82°F · pH 6.0–7.5, soft to medium-hard
• Substrate — Not required. Attaches to hardscape
• Growth habit — Amphibious. Also grows emersed — suits paludariums
• Propagation — Rhizome division

Grower’s Notes

• The blue sheen is structural, not pigment. It comes from the leaf surface reflecting light, so it shifts with viewing angle and lighting rather than being a fixed color — and it doesn't make the plant any harder to keep.
• Never bury the rhizome. Glue or tie it to rock or wood; buried rhizomes rot.
• 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.
• Growth is measured in months. That slowness is why Buce holds its shape in a scape for years without trimming.
• Some melting after planting is normal as it converts to submerged growth. New leaves follow from the rhizome.

Want to go deeper? Read our complete Bucephalandra Care Guide.

Notes

• All Bucephalandra species are slow growers and may experience minor melting upon introduction to new environments. This is normal and temporary; the plant will recover and produce new growth once conditions stabilize.
• 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.