Echinodorus decumbens
Also known as Aquarius decumbens
Care at a glance
- Light
- Medium light
- CO2
- CO₂ beneficial
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Placement
- Background
- Type
- Rosette
- Temperature
- 72–82°F (22–28°C)
- pH
- 5.0–7.0
- Hardness
- 0–18 dGH
- Max height
- 19.7 in (50 cm)
- Spread
- 11.8 in (30 cm)
- Nutrient uptake
- Root feeder
- Growth region
- Submersed or emersed
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Origin
- Eastern Brazil (Rio Surubim, Piaui)
- Family
- Alismataceae
Overview
An easy, fast-growing sword for the midground or background of a larger tank, reaching around 50 cm submersed and more as it matures. Give it what swords always want: a deep, nutrient-rich substrate, root tabs once it is established, and medium or better light. CO2 is optional but noticeably speeds it up, and despite its soft-water home it tolerates a wide range of hardness. Propagation runs through the flower stalks, which form plantlets that can be pinned down and cut free once rooted.
In the wild
Echinodorus decumbens comes from the Rio Surubim in Piaui, eastern Brazil, where it grows on the banks and in the inundation zones of the river in soft, slightly acidic water. Like other swords it lives emersed for part of the year and submersed when the river floods.
Good to know
A sword plant in the family Alismataceae, discovered on the Rio Surubim in 1994 by Christel Kasselmann and later described by her. The epithet decumbens, lying down, fits its inflorescences, which trail rather than stand upright and form adventitious plantlets under emersed conditions. Molecular work has since moved most swords into the genus Aquarius, so its accepted botanical name is now Aquarius decumbens, though shops still sell it as an Echinodorus.
Did you know
This sword was discovered and described by Christel Kasselmann, the author of the standard reference book on aquarium plants, who collected it on the Rio Surubim in 1994.
Appears in
Background plants · Sword plants · Beginner plants · Fast growers
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