Trimming Bucephelandra

[Paul M]

I have a high tech set up with pressurised CO2 and am dosing 2hr aquarist fertilizer with no nitrogen. I am trying to keep nitrogen levels lean to try to improve colour on my Rotala H'Ra. The tank is well stocked with a school of Cardinals and a school of Lemon tetra. This is in a Fluval 80 litre tank.
After 10 months of being set up my Bucephelandra Kedegang have produced plenty of new growth, especially the plant which is getting the most light, and I am wondering about trimming them.
Can I trim the rhizome back to a suitable length and use the trimmed section to propagate new plants? I notice that the plant is producing new roots from along the rhizome, so do I need to include roots on the trimmed section to get it to propagate or will it readily produce new roots from a trimmed section that has none to start with?
I've just read the excellent article by Vasteq but any further information about trimming these lovely plants will be most welcome.

 

[ScareCrow]

As long as there is some rhizome it should be fine. I've done both with and without roots and haven't had any problems.
I normally glue them to a little stone and let them sit on the substrate for a few weeks just so I can keep an eye on them and they establish better when the roots have access to the substrate but it's not a requirement.

 

[Paul M]

As long as there is some rhizome it should be fine. I've done both with and without roots and haven't had any problems.
I normally glue them to a little stone and let them sit on the substrate for a few weeks just so I can keep an eye on them and they establish better when the roots have access to the substrate but it's not a requirement.

Thanks for this. I'll give it a go. I'd considered getting some small stone to attach the cuttings.
Does trimming encourage the mother plant to put out side shoots and become bushier?

 

[ScareCrow]

Yeah, you should get side shoots near the cut. I've also taken sections of rhizome without leaves and glued that to a stone. Eventually leaves and roots will appear. So you can propagate them from very little material.

 

[Paul M]

Yeah, you should get side shoots near the cut. I've also taken sections of rhizome without leaves and glued that to a stone. Eventually leaves and roots will appear. So you can propagate them from very little material.

Brilliant. Great information, thank you for this. I'll get the 'scaping scissors out and get cutting.