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Ruffled sword

Echinodorus major

Also known as Echinodorus martii, Echinodorus major, Echinodorus major 'Martii', Ruffle sword, Ruffled Amazon sword, Echinodorus leopoldina (trade)

FreshwaterRosetteSide shootsPlantletsRhizome division

Care at a glance

Light
Medium light
CO2
CO₂ beneficial
Growth rate
Medium
Placement
Background
Type
Rosette
Temperature
64–82°F (18–28°C)
pH
6.5–7.5
Hardness
2–15 dGH
Max height
23.6 in (60 cm)
Spread
11.8 in (30 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed
Difficulty
Easy
Origin
Eastern Brazil
Family
Alismataceae

Overview

A large background rosette for tanks 60cm deep or more, reaching up to about 60cm with strongly ruffled, semi-transparent green leaves. It is a heavy root feeder, so bury root tabs in the substrate and it will grow well under moderate light without CO2, though CO2 speeds it up noticeably. Trim old outer leaves at the base and remove side shoots to keep the size in check. It is copper sensitive, so watch snail and algae treatments.

In the wild

Native to shallow rivulets and slow rivers of eastern Brazil, where it grows fully submersed. In the wild it forms a large rosette of translucent, heavily corrugated leaves that ripple in the current. It is one of the true aquatic swords rather than a marsh plant, so it stays underwater long-term.

Good to know

The accepted botanical name is now Echinodorus major (Micheli) Rataj. The name Echinodorus martii, still used everywhere in the trade for this plant, is technically misapplied. Taxonomists (Lehtonen) treat the true E. martii as a synonym of E. subalatus, a different species. It belongs to the family Alismataceae, the water plantains.

Did you know

Unlike most Echinodorus sold as swords, which are really bog plants that struggle underwater, the ruffled sword is a genuinely submersed species from Brazilian streams, which is why its leaves stay so thin and rippled in the tank.

Where to buy

Some links may not be the exact species or variety.

…or ask your local fish store.

Appears in

Background plants · Sword plants · Beginner plants

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