Bucephalandra Red Sword Vitro Culture

Sword-shaped leaves are rare in Bucephalandra — most of the genus is round, oval or coin-shaped. Bucephalandra sp. 'Sekadau Red Sword' grows narrow, elongated, pointed leaves that ruffle along the margins once the plant reaches adult size. Mature foliage settles dark green to olive-brown; the red sits on new growth and leaf undersides, and it comes out under strong light. This is the sterile Vitro Culture® format.

What You'll Receive

• One sealed 4-inch Vitro Culture® tissue culture bag
• Approximately 3 to 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 Sword Buce
• Scientific name — Bucephalandra sp. 'Sekadau Red Sword'
• Also known as — Sekadau Red Sword, Buce, Bucep
• Origin — Fast-flowing streams of Borneo
• Placement — Foreground to midground, on wood or stone
• Shipped size — Small plantlets, under 1 in
• Mature height — 3–5 in
• Suits — 5 gallons and up
• Growth rate — Slow

Care

• Difficulty — Beginner
• Light — Low to medium grows the plant. Strong light brings the red into new growth and undersides
• CO₂ — Not required, though it improves color and growth rate
• Water — 72–82°F · pH 6.0–7.5
• Substrate — Not required. Attaches to hardscape
• Growth habit — Amphibious. Also grows emersed — suits paludariums and Wabi-Kusa
• Propagation — Rhizome division

Grower's Notes

• This is not a solid red plant. Adult leaves are dark green to olive-brown. The rich red and pink show on new growth and on the undersides, and only when the light is strong. Under low light it still grows well — it just stays green.
• The leaf shape is the reason to buy this one. Narrow, pointed and slightly wavy at the edges once mature, it reads differently in a scape from the rounded Buce sitting beside it.
• Tie it on with cotton thread — never glue it. Never bury the rhizome either; buried, it rots. Wrap it onto wood or stone with cotton thread and let the plant grip on its own. There is no such thing as aquarium-safe glue — it is all cyanoacrylate gel, and whatever tissue it touches burns and dies. On a rhizome that is fatal, because a rhizome does not regrow. If you have no choice, a tiny dab on the roots only, where the damage can melt away and grow back.
• Growth is measured in months, not weeks. That slowness is why Buce holds its shape in a scape for years without trimming, and why the sword leaf and its ruffled margins take time to appear on a young plant.
• 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 red across the whole leaf instead? See Bucephalandra Kedagang Red Vitro Culture.

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

Notes

• Pictures shown are for reference only. Actual plant size, shape, and color may vary slightly depending on growing conditions. This tissue culture bag is sealed for freshness — please follow proper sterilization and acclimation procedures upon opening.
• 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.
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• 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.