Bucephalandra Theia

Theia runs warm — golden to copper-bronze with a soft iridescence, on narrow, gently curved leaves. It is one of the few Bucephalandra that reads gold rather than blue, green or red, which makes it useful where the rest of a scape is cool-toned.

What You'll Receive

Sold as loose Bare-Root or Potted plants:

• 1 Bare-Root: Approximately 5+ leaves
• 5 Bare-Root: Approximately 25+ leaves total
• 10 Bare-Root: Approximately 50+ leaves total
• 1 Potted: Approximately 10+ leaves
• 5 Potted: Approximately 50+ leaves total
• 10 Potted: Approximately 100+ leaves total

Plant Profile

• Common name — Theia Buce
• Scientific name — Bucephalandra sp. 'Theia'
• Also known as — Buce Theia
• Origin — Borneo (genus range)
• Placement — Foreground to midground, attached to hardscape
• Mature height — 2-4 inches
• Growth rate — Very slow

Care

• Difficulty — Beginner
• Light — Low to medium. Stronger light lifts the gold and copper, but brings algae the plant is too slow to outgrow.
• CO₂ — Not required. Speeds growth and enriches color if you already run it.
• Water — 72-82°F, pH 6.0-7.5
• Substrate — None needed. Epiphyte; feeds from the water column.
• Growth habit — Amphibious rhizome creeper; grows submersed or emersed
• Propagation — Rhizome division

Grower's Notes

• Gold is the gap in most Buce collections. The genus runs heavily to blue, green, purple and red. A warm copper-gold sits against all of them, which is why Theia is worth having even if you already keep several varieties.
• 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.
• At under two inches of growth a year, coverage has to be bought rather than waited for. Start with more plants if you want a filled-in look.
• Some leaf melt after shipping is normal. The rhizome survives and pushes new submersed leaves within a few weeks.

Not to be confused with Bucephalandra Theia Green, which is a separate variety.

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

Notes

Like most Bucephalandra, minor leaf melt may occur after introduction as the plant adjusts to new water parameters. This is normal and temporary — new submersed leaves regrow from the rhizome once the plant stabilizes.

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.