Amazon Sword - Echinodorus grisebachii - Small

Amazon Swords (Echinodorus bleheri) are one of the most frequent plants found in home aquariums today. Their large, tall, spear-like leaves help to fill in large areas of a tank and still provide plenty of swimming room for your fish. They can grow to a height of between 7- 20 inches, although few reach the higher end of this range. The Amazon Sword does grow too large for many aquariums, however. They should have moderate to high lighting in order to thrive and may need to be pruned regularly to prevent the lower leaves and other plants in the tank from being blocked from the light.

"Sword Plants" come primarily from the Echinodorus genus and are marsh or bog plants from the tropical western hemisphere (North, South and Central America as well as some islands in the region). While there are around 3 scientifically accepted species, many species are cross-bred and propagated by hobbyists and nurseries to create numerous variants and hybrids.

While swords may grow emerged in the wild (with their leaves out of the water), they are well adapted to submerged life in the aquarium as well. Emerged plants grow flowers, while submerged plants will reproduce by sending out runners to grow new plants. Most swords need high lighting to thrive. They also benefit from a nutrient-rich substrate and iron and CO₂ supplements, especially in heavily planted aquariums.

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