Propagating Bucephalandra 'Melting Pot'

A guide to propagating the color-shifting Bucephalandra 'Melting Pot' by rhizome division, attaching it to hardscape, and managing buce melt without burying the rhizome.

Overview

Bucephalandra belongs to the Araceae family and is endemic to Borneo, where it lives as a rheophyte clinging to stones and rocks in streams and rivers. The genus spreads through creeping, rooting stems that form dense mats. The 'Melting Pot' cultivar is unusual for leaves that shift colour from dark green to blue-purple depending on light and water, earning its reputation as a chameleon among aquatic plants.

'Melting Pot' grows from a horizontal rhizome and is treated as an epiphyte, fixed to wood or rock rather than planted in substrate. It is a very slow grower, so propagation is a long game rather than a quick multiplier.

Propagation Method (Rhizome Division)

The reliable way to multiply 'Melting Pot' is vegetative rhizome division. You split the rhizome into pieces, each retaining its own leaves and roots, then fix the pieces back onto hardscape where they keep growing. Natural bends in the rhizome mark where clumps have separated and are the cleanest cut points.

Every division carries a length of rhizome with leaves and roots.
Cut where the rhizome naturally bends into separate clumps.
Reattach pieces to wood or rock; they continue growing without disturbance.

Step-by-Step

Lift the parent plant and find the clumps along its rhizome.
With clean, sharp scissors cut the rhizome into two pieces, each with leaves and roots.
Tie or glue each piece to a rock or driftwood using thread or super glue gel.
Use only a little glue so you do not smother the rhizome.
Position the pieces under low to medium light and wait for new shoots.

Conditions for Healthy Growth

Light: low to medium; the colour shift is driven by light and water, but strong light invites algae.
CO2: optional, can speed growth.
Temperature: about 21-28 C (70-82 F).
pH: roughly 6-8.

Maintenance

After attachment, leave the plant to anchor. Trim away spent leaves at the base, keep handling minimal, and trust the rhizome's stored nutrients to fuel new growth even when a piece looks bare.

Common Challenges

The other hurdle is patience: with such slow growth, divided pieces take months to fill in, so avoid relocating them while they re-establish.