Jebriel Houdroj is a proud Lebanese American, born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. He works as the store manager at The Wet Spot Tropical Fish in Portland, Oregon, where he has also served as the resident plant specialist for the past five years.

Jebriel has been keeping aquariums on and off for over 12 years, though his passion for aquatic flora truly began about seven years ago. In his free time outside of work, he cultivates and documents his process of (amateurly) dissecting species of Bucephalandra and their inflorescences.

His fascination with Bucephalandra began in 2018 after learning about their endangered status, and his interest has only grown since. His mission is to combat misinformation in the hobby about Bucephalandra and other rheophytic plants, while educating others on the importance of cultivation over exploitation.

Jebriel’s talk, titled “Cultivation over Exploitation,” will cover how to properly grow Bucephalandra in the aquarium and how to identify—or at least attempt to identify—the species in your collection. He will also share insights from his adventures in dissecting Bucephalandra and his methods for species identification.

Additionally, Jebriel will offer a practical guide to growing Bucephalandra terrestrially and cultivating emersed plants. He will explain the differences between "epiphytic" and "rheophytic" growth habits, addressing how these terms have often been misused in the hobby—and why accurate terminology and sustainable cultivation matter.