Cultivar (bred by Tomas Kaliebe, cross of 'Großer Bär' x 'Ozelot', released 2003)
Overview
Reni sword is a compact, easy red sword that stays small enough for the midground of medium tanks. Its new leaves emerge reddish-brown to deep beetroot with lighter veins.
Did you know
Reni sword can hold a rosette of leaves only around 10 cm long for a long time, far longer than most swords. That lets it start in the foreground of a small tank. Its later leaves reach about 25 cm, and then it belongs in the midground.
Caring for Reni sword
Plant Reni sword with the roots buried and the crown just above the substrate. Its color is strongest over a nutrient-rich substrate, and root tabs near the roots keep it fed.
Reni sword is a low-light plant and grows without added CO2, though good light brings out the strongest color. It also takes in food through its leaves, so a liquid fertilizer helps. Keep the water at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C).
It grows at a moderate pace and makes new plants from plantlets and rhizome division. Remove tired outer leaves at the base.
Good to know
Reni sword was bred by German aquarist Tomas Kaliebe and brought to market in 2003. He crossed the cultivars 'Großer Bär' and 'Ozelot', both of them Echinodorus hybrids. It sits in the family Alismataceae and keeps the compact basal rosette habit of its ancestors.
In the wild
Reni sword is a cultivated hybrid with no natural range. Its ancestry traces to South American marsh swords of shaded stream banks and seasonal wetlands. Those swords root into muddy ground and often grow emersed in the dry season.
Common questions
Does Reni 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 Reni sword need CO2?
No. Reni sword grows well without added CO2 and suits a low-tech tank.
How much light does Reni sword need?
Reni sword is a low-light plant, and the light that comes with a standard tank kit is enough for it.
Does Reni sword need root tabs?
They help. Reni 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 Reni sword?
Reni sword 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 Reni sword grow?
Reni sword grows to about 15.7 in (40 cm) tall. It grows at a moderate pace.
Medium lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
High lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Medium lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Medium lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)