Bucephalandra Red Phantom Vitro Culture

Red Phantom comes from the Lamandau region of Borneo. Grown above water it shows green leaves on red stems — the stem color is the point of the variety. This is the tissue-culture format: sterile, snail-free, four plantlets per bag.

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 — Red Phantom Buce
• Scientific name — Bucephalandra sp. 'Red Phantom'
• Also known as — Bucep Red Phantom, Buce Red Phantom
• Origin — Lamandau, Borneo
• Placement — Foreground to midground, attached to hardscape
• Mature height — 2-4 inches
• Growth rate — Slow

Care

• Difficulty — Beginner
• Light — Low to medium. Too much light brings algae the plant is too slow to outgrow.
• CO₂ — Not required. Improves color and pace if you already run it.
• Water — 72-82°F, pH 6.0-7.5
• Substrate — None needed. Epiphyte; attaches to rock or driftwood.
• Growth habit — Amphibious rhizome creeper; grows submersed or emersed
• Propagation — Rhizome division

Grower's Notes

• The color is in the stem, not the leaf. Most Buce is bought for leaf tone; Red Phantom's appeal is the red petiole under a green leaf. That contrast only shows at close range, so place it at the front of the scape.
• Rinse the gel off and separate the four plantlets before attaching. Leftover nutrient agar clouds water and feeds algae in the first weeks.
• Never bury the rhizome. Tie or glue it to wood or rock and leave it exposed; 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.
• Tissue-culture stock is emersed-grown and sheds some leaves as it converts to submersed growth. Give it several weeks before judging the color.

Prefer rooted plants? See standard Bucephalandra Red Phantom.

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

Notes

Disclaimer: Pictures are not the actual plants you will receive, but a sample representation. Unless specific, we don't guarantee aquatic plants will be free of pests, and pesticides, grow emerged or submerge.

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.