TankBud

Horemanii sword

Echinodorus horemanii

Also known as Horemanii red, Aquarius uruguayensis

FreshwaterRosetteSide shootsPlantletsRhizome division

Horemanii sword (Echinodorus horemanii)
Aquarium Plants Factory · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Light
High light
CO2
CO₂ beneficial
Temperature
64–79°F
18–26°C
Max height
19.7 in
50 cm
Growth rate
Slow
Placement
Background
Type
Rosette
pH
5.5–7.5
Hardness
2–12 dGH
Spread
11.8 in (30 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Difficult
Family
Alismataceae
Origin
Southeastern South America (southern Brazil, Uruguay, northeastern Argentina, Paraguay)

Overview

Horemanii sword is a classic collector sword and a genuinely demanding one. It works best as a background centerpiece in a mature, stable tank.

Did you know

Horemanii sword is one of the few aquarium swords that prefers cooler, current-swept water. It comes from brisk subtropical rivers rather than warm tropical swamps, so it sulks in a hot, still tank.

Caring for horemanii sword

Plant horemanii sword in a deeply fertilized substrate and leave the crown just above the surface. It also feeds from the water, so pair root tabs with a liquid fertilizer.

It wants strong light and cool, soft, slightly acidic water. Keep it at 64 to 79°F (18 to 26°C), a pH of 5.5 to 7.5 and 2 to 12 dGH. It grows without injected CO2, but CO2 colors up the red form and speeds its slow growth.

Melt during acclimation is common, so give tissue-cultured or converted plants time before judging them. Propagate it by side shoots, plantlets or rhizome division.

Good to know

Horemanii sword carries the name Echinodorus horemanii Rataj, now treated as a synonym of Echinodorus uruguayensis in the family Alismataceae. A 2018 reclassification places that species under the accepted name Aquarius uruguayensis. Echinodorus uruguayensis is extremely variable. Much of what the hobby sells as horemanii, veronikae or africanus is simply a form of it. It comes in green and red-leaved forms with long, narrow, slightly wavy leaves.

In the wild

Horemanii sword is native to southeastern South America, across southern Brazil, Uruguay, northeastern Argentina and Paraguay. It grows submersed in relatively cool, fast-flowing, acidic rivers and rivulets. It often forms large stands there, knitting the riverbed together with a network of rhizomes.

Common questions

Does horemanii sword need to be planted in the substrate?

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

Does horemanii sword need CO2?

No, but it helps. Horemanii sword can grow without injected CO2, and added CO2 makes it grow faster.

How much light does horemanii sword need?

Horemanii sword needs high light from a strong planted-tank LED.

Does horemanii sword need root tabs?

They help. Horemanii sword takes nutrients through both its roots and its leaves. Root tabs near its roots and a liquid fertilizer cover both.

How do you propagate horemanii sword?

Horemanii sword propagates by side shoots, plantlets and rhizome division. Cut a side shoot off once it has a few leaves and plant it on its own. Small plantlets form on the plant and can be detached once they have a few roots.

How tall does horemanii sword grow?

Horemanii sword grows to about 19.7 in (50 cm) tall. It grows slowly and rarely needs trimming.

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