Cryptocoryne Beckettii in jar - Aquaflora

That of Cryptocoryne Beckettii is a small variety of Sri Lanka Cryptocoryne, belonging to the Araceae family, which has the margins of the slightly grooved leaves. The leaves are brown dark olive with the lower part purple and stretch up to 10-15 cm .. like many other Cryptocoryne, the color and the shape of the leaves depend largely on the environmental conditions that find in the aquarium.

Cryptocoryne Beckettii is a perennial, rhizomatous grass, which can grow as an emerging or submerged aquatic. It has basal leaves with elongated and enveloping pigs up to 15 cm long. The blades are glabrous, from ovate to strictly ovate, long from 3 to 9 cm and wide from 1 to 3.5 cm. The upper surface of the blade ranges from green to dark green or brown and marbled to red-brown, and the lower surface is generally nuanced with red, more or less brownish or green. The leaves have a sharp apex to acuminated, whole or sometimes wavy leaf margins and vistatures visually red. The submerged plants usually have larger and thinnest leaves. The inflorescences are seen rarely and are a short peduncle with a spade 4 to 12 cm long.

Probably Cryptocoryne Beckettii is the oldest cultivated Cryptocory, and is one of the best Cryptocorys for the aquarium. The ease of cultivation of this plant shows the typical characteristics of a Cryptocory of Sri Lanka. It can adapt both to the tender water and to the last water. The light also does not play such an important role, even if it grows better with better lighting. The brown and greenish rosettes forming after insertion spread quickly and form thick bushes in the aquarium. With a substrate rich in nutrients, growth is a little faster. Otherwise, the plant welcomes good fertilization and a co2 contribution, but also gladly grows without these components. Cryptocoryne Beckettii can also be cultivated in a wet and rich nutrients, and with daily water spraying. Normally it spreads and multiplys by vegetative growth (stolon / rhizome), but it can be propared quietly, just disconnect and replant the seedlings that are formed on the rhizome of the mother plant. It may suffer from the so-called crypto scale, and it seems not to like to be moved, like all the crypto.

On the market they can find different varieties, such as Cryptocoryne Beckettii 'Petchii', 'Petchii Pink', 'Viridifolia', which derive from the nominal plant for dimensions and coloring of the leaves, but are quite similar to Cultivation needs.

Most Sri Lanka cryptocory species can be placed in the middle area of the aquarium, provided they maintained in shape by pruning. This species offers a good contrast with other plants with its red-brown pointed leaves.