Cultivar of Echinodorus

Iguazu sword

Echinodorus opacus 'Iguazu 2009'

One of 28 cultivars of Echinodorus · See all cultivars →

Also known as Echinodorus 'Iguazu', Echinodorus sp. 'Iguazu', Echinodorus 'Iguazu 2009'

FreshwaterRosetteRhizome divisionSide shoots

Care at a glance

Light: Medium light
CO2: CO₂ beneficial
Temperature: 64–79°F; 18–26°C
Max height: 7.9 in; 20 cm

Growth rate: Slow
Placement: Midground
Type: Rosette
pH: 5.5–8.0
Spread: 11.8 in (30 cm)
Nutrient uptake: Root + water column
Growth region: Submersed or emersed
Difficulty: Medium
Family: Alismataceae
Origin: Iguazu region on the Brazil and Argentina border, collected 2009; the species is from southeastern Brazil (Paraná and Santa Catarina)

Overview

Iguazu is a slow midground sword that stays around 20 cm, far smaller than an Amazon sword. Plant it in aqua soil or another rich substrate, and add root tabs near the crown. It needs only medium light, though CO2 helps its slow growth along. It handles cooler water than most swords, and 18 to 26 C suits it. Keep conditions stable, since sudden swings can make leaves melt. The rosette creeps slowly across the substrate as the rhizome lengthens. Cut a long rhizome into pieces, or split off side shoots, to propagate.

In the wild

Iguazu sword is a wild form of Echinodorus opacus, collected in 2009 near Iguazu Falls on the Brazil and Argentina border. The species grows in fast-flowing rivers of subtropical southeastern Brazil, in Paraná and Santa Catarina, where winters are cool. ADA sells the plant as a tissue culture under the name Iguazu 2009.

Good to know

Iguazu is a form of Echinodorus opacus, a sword in the family Alismataceae that Karel Rataj described in 1970. The species is probably a natural hybrid from the E. grandiflorus group. The Kew and GBIF plant databases now file it under E. portoalegrensis, and neither treats that name as settled. Its thick, stiff oval leaves are dark green with paler veins, and strong light can add a bronze tint. Apart sword, a hybrid of E. portoalegrensis, looks much the same and is easier to grow.

Did you know

Iguazu adds roughly one new leaf every 10 to 14 days, so a large, full crown takes many months to build. The leaves are thick and stiff, almost plastic to the touch.