Amazon sword plant (Sc. Name: Echinodorus grisebachii )

Overview: As the name suggests, Amazon sword plants originates from the Amazon river basin, and is a very popular freshwater aquarium plant sold worldwide. This resilient plant is easy to maintain, which is why it is great for beginners. It serves as a background plant in aquariums when planted in solitary. When planted with other plant species, it creates a thick green forest like foliage that enhances the aesthetic appeal of aquariums.

Appearance: The Amazon sword plant typically has lance-shaped light to a darker shade of green leaves with pointed tips and short stems. Under optimal conditions for growth, it can reach a height of 20 inches. They are amphibious in nature and can grow in partially or totally submerged conditions.

Hard or Soft plant: Hard plant

Ideal water temperature: Similar to the tropical climate, Amazon sword plants grow well in water having temperatures between 22 and 27 degree Celsius.

Lighting conditions: The Amazon Sword plant prefers moderate to strong lighting conditions. A minimum of 2 watts per gallon of full spectrum lighting (5000-7000k) is required for optimum growth.

Ideal pH conditions: Prefers alkaline water and a pH between 6.5 to 7.5

Functions and advantages:

1) The Amazon sword plant is a great background plant for aquariums and is good for aqua-scaping when planted alone or with different species of its own kind.

2) The lush thick forest like foliage of Amazon sword plants is great in concealing aquarium heaters or power filter intake tubes, thus increasing the aesthetic appeal of the aquarium.

3) Excellent choice as an aquarium plant for community fishes.

Did you know? The Amazon sword plants are amphibious in nature and grow when fully or partially submersed. It propagates through adventitious roots.