TankBud

Echinodorus horizontalis Mini

Echinodorus horizontalis 'Mini'

Also known as Horizontal Mini sword

FreshwaterRosettePlantletsRhizome division

Echinodorus horizontalis Mini (Echinodorus horizontalis 'Mini')
Aquarium Plants Factory · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Light
Low light
CO2
CO₂ beneficial
Temperature
64–82°F
18–28°C
Max height
7.9 in
20 cm
Growth rate
Slow
Placement
Midground
Type
Rosette
pH
6.5–7.5
Spread
7.9 in (20 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Easy
Family
Alismataceae
Origin
Selection of Echinodorus horizontalis, native to the Amazon basin

Overview

Echinodorus horizontalis Mini is an easy midground sword with slow, steady growth. It suits a tank with modest light.

Did you know

Echinodorus horizontalis Mini holds its leaf blades flat, like small shelves. The posture suits the shaded, flooded forest the species comes from, and the plant keeps it in a tank.

Caring for Echinodorus horizontalis Mini

Plant Echinodorus horizontalis Mini in a nutrient-rich substrate or over root tabs, and keep the crown above the substrate. It also takes food through its leaves, so a liquid fertilizer helps.

Its light demand is low, but it should not be fully shaded by its neighbors. A good CO2 supply suits it, though it grows without injected CO2. Soft water works best, at 64 to 82°F (18 to 28°C) and a pH of 6.5 to 7.5.

New leaves come in with a brownish-pink cast before turning green. Avoid sudden swings in water parameters, which trigger melt. Propagate it from plantlets on the flower stalk or by dividing the rhizome.

Good to know

Echinodorus horizontalis Mini belongs to the family Alismataceae. The epithet horizontalis describes its leaf posture, with blades held nearly horizontal on their petioles whether the plant is emersed or submersed. The blades have a heart-shaped base. Mini is a selection kept for its smaller rosette. It is the same species, and the full-size form reaches roughly twice its height underwater.

In the wild

The parent species, Echinodorus horizontalis, grows in the Amazon basin of northern South America. It lives in shaded swamp woods, seasonally flooded forest and on rainforest stream banks, where water levels change quickly. It handles both emersed and submersed life and, unusually for the genus, prefers shade over open sun. Mini itself is a compact trade form with no wild population.

Common questions

Does Echinodorus horizontalis Mini need to be planted in the substrate?

Yes. Bury the roots and leave the crown, where the leaves join, just above the substrate.

Does Echinodorus horizontalis Mini need CO2?

No, but it helps. Echinodorus horizontalis Mini can grow without injected CO2, and added CO2 makes it grow faster.

How much light does Echinodorus horizontalis Mini need?

Echinodorus horizontalis Mini is a low-light plant, and the light that comes with a standard tank kit is enough for it.

Does Echinodorus horizontalis Mini need root tabs?

They help. Echinodorus horizontalis Mini takes nutrients through both its roots and its leaves. Root tabs near its roots and a liquid fertilizer cover both.

How do you propagate Echinodorus horizontalis Mini?

Echinodorus horizontalis Mini propagates by plantlets and rhizome division. Small plantlets form on the plant and can be detached once they have a few roots. Cut the rhizome into pieces with several leaves each, then tie or plant each piece.

How tall does Echinodorus horizontalis Mini grow?

Echinodorus horizontalis Mini grows to about 7.9 in (20 cm) tall. It grows slowly and rarely needs trimming.

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