Amazon Sword

The long, lance-shaped leaves on short stems form a rosette that stays compact in proportion to the leaf length, which is what sets this Echinodorus apart from larger swords. What is sold as Echinodorus amazonicus is actually a cultivated variety of Echinodorus grisebachii — the true E. amazonicus is a different, less common species, but the name has stuck in the aquarium trade.

The leaves are bright green and slightly translucent, with a pointed tip and a gentle arch. A mature plant reaches 30 to 40 cm, making it suitable for mid-sized tanks as a background or specimen plant. It sends out flower stalks that produce small plantlets at the nodes, which can be removed and planted once they develop roots.

A nutrient-rich substrate is important — Echinodorus are heavy root feeders and grow poorly in plain sand or gravel without root tabs. Moderate light and temperatures from 22 to 26 °C are sufficient; CO₂ injection is not needed but does produce noticeably larger, denser leaves. pH tolerance is broad at 6.5 to 7.5.

It is one of the few rosette plants that adapts to harder water without showing deficiencies. Older leaves should be trimmed at the base rather than cut partway, which leaves a decaying stub in the substrate. Regular trimming keeps the crown open and encourages new leaf production.