Cryptocoryne Undulata

Quick facts

Identity

Also known as

Water Trumpet; Wavy Crypt

Synonyms

Cryptocoryne hudoroi

Environment

Freshwater

Native to

Indonesia (South Kalimantan, Borneo)

Habitat

Limestone-bed rivers and streams with fast current in southern Borneo, forming dense submersed stands with occasional emersed growth along banks

Sourcing

Captive-bred

Conservation

Not Evaluated

Care

Care level

Moderate

Growth form

Rosette

Max height

5 – 12 in (13 – 30 cm)

Spread

8 in (20 cm)

Growth rate

Slow

Placement

Midground

Water

Temperature

72 – 82 °F (22 – 28 °C)

pH

6.0 – 7.5

dKH

2 – 12 dKH

Flow

Moderate

Light

Medium

CO₂

Beneficial

Planting

Substrate

Nutrient-rich preferred

Feeds from

Roots

Fertilizer needs

Medium

Colors

Green, Brown

Feeding & breeding

Propagation

Runners, Rhizome division, Splitting

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Care guide

Overview

Suits a midground planting scheme where a keeper wants a low-maintenance rosette that fills in steadily without frequent trimming. Glossy leaves shift from emerald green to bronze-red under stronger light, and clumps spread by runners over time. It tolerates low to medium light but resents being uprooted once settled.

Care

This crypt is a hardy, moderately slow-growing rosette valued for its broad, deeply bullated leaves that give a textured, sculptural look to the midground. It tolerates a wider swing in carbonate hardness than most Borneo crypts thanks to its limestone-river origin, making it easier to keep in ordinary tap water than many blackwater species. Moderate to high lighting brings out the strongest leaf puckering, though the plant will still grow acceptably under lower light at a slower pace. Once established it should be left undisturbed, since uprooting or moving it frequently triggers leaf loss.

Planting & trimming

Remove all rockwool or potting cotton from the roots before planting, then bury the roots and rhizome base in a nutrient-rich substrate, taking care not to bury the crown too deeply. Choose a permanent location from the start, since this species dislikes being uprooted or relocated once settled. It can also be grown emersed in high-humidity paludarium setups, where mature plants under strong light may occasionally flower.

Fertilizing

As a heavy root feeder, it benefits most from root tabs pushed into a nutrient-rich substrate near the rhizome, supplemented with a weekly all-in-one liquid fertilizer for iron and micronutrients. A calcium supplement is worth adding given the species' limestone-water origin, supporting sturdy leaf structure. Yellowing leaves, pinholes, or stalled growth usually point to a nutrient deficiency rather than disease.

Propagation

Propagates readily via runners sent out from the base, which produce plantlets that can be separated once they form their own root systems and replanted elsewhere. Mature clumps can also be propagated by dividing the rhizome into sections, each retaining some roots and leaves.

Problems

Like other Cryptocoryne, it is prone to "crypt melt," where leaves dissolve rapidly after planting or after a sudden change in water chemistry. This is usually not fatal; trimming away the rotting leaves and keeping parameters stable typically allows fresh growth to emerge within a few weeks. Algae on the older, slow-growing leaves can appear if lighting is too strong relative to available nutrients and flow.

Sources

1. Cryptocoryne hudoroi - Flowgrow Aquatic Plant Database
2. Cryptocoryne hudoroi care: light, CO2 and placement · TankBud
3. Cryptocoryne Hudoroi Care Guide | Melbourne Tropical
4. Cryptocoryne Undulata Hybrid - Live Aquarium Plant — Buce Plant

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