Cryptocoryne willisii 'Lucens' Care Guide
Cryptocoryne willisii 'Lucens' is a narrow-leaved Sri Lankan crypt that forms dense low groups, used as a foreground-to-midground transition plant.
Overview
Cryptocoryne willisii 'Lucens' is a narrow-leaved crypt of the genus Cryptocoryne, native to Sri Lanka. It has slender, lanceolate, medium-green leaves and forms dense low groups, which makes it useful as a transition plant between the foreground and midground or as a grass-like ground cover in taller layouts. It is regarded as easy to cultivate, comparable to Cryptocoryne wendtii or C. beckettii.
Taxonomy
- Family: Araceae
- Order: Alismatales
- Genus: Cryptocoryne
- Scientific name: Cryptocoryne willisii 'Lucens'
Habitat
The plant originates from the central highlands of Sri Lanka, including riverbanks around Kandy. Like other crypts it grows in streams and along banks, alternating between submersed and emersed growth as water levels change. Emersed it can reach about 25 cm and submersed about 20 cm in height.
Tank requirements
- Temperature: 22-28 °C (72-82 °F)
- pH: 5.5-7.5
- GH: 2-12 °dGH
- Lighting: low (tolerates low to high)
- CO2: not required
- Growth rate: slow
- Maximum height: about 15 cm
- Placement: foreground to midground
Planting and care
The cultivar is robust and easy, tolerating a wide range of light from low to high and growing in soft water without added CO2. A nutrient-rich substrate and consistent moderate fertilization support dense, grass-like growth. As with other crypts, some leaf melt may follow planting or relocation, particularly into fresh substrate; the plant recovers and resumes growth from the rhizome.
Propagation
Propagation is by underground runners as well as by offshoots that grow directly on the rosette. Daughter plants can simply be cut off and replanted once they are large enough to establish on their own.