TankBud

Ruffled sword

Echinodorus major

Also known as Echinodorus martii, Echinodorus major 'Martii', Ruffle sword, Ruffled Amazon sword, Echinodorus leopoldina, Aquarius major

FreshwaterRosetteSide shootsPlantletsRhizome division

Ruffled sword (Echinodorus major)
Aquarium Plants Factory · Used with permission

Care at a glance

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

Overview

Ruffled sword is a large, easy background rosette for tanks 60 cm deep or more. Its strongly ruffled leaves are green and semi-transparent.

Did you know

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

Caring for ruffled sword

Plant ruffled sword with the roots buried and the crown just above the substrate. It is a heavy root feeder, so bury root tabs near it or grow it in a rich substrate.

It grows well under medium light without CO2, though added CO2 speeds it up noticeably. Keep the water at 64 to 82°F (18 to 28°C). It is copper sensitive, so take care with snail and algae treatments.

It grows at a moderate pace and makes new plants from side shoots, plantlets and rhizome division. Trim old outer leaves at the base, and remove side shoots to keep its size in check.

Good to know

Ruffled sword belongs to the family Alismataceae, the water plantains. Its accepted botanical name is now Echinodorus major (Micheli) Rataj. The trade still calls it Echinodorus martii everywhere, but that name is misapplied to this plant. Taxonomists following Lehtonen treat the true E. martii as a synonym of E. subalatus, a different species.

In the wild

Ruffled sword is native to shallow rivulets and slow rivers of eastern Brazil, where it grows fully submersed. There it forms a large rosette whose corrugated leaves ripple in the current.

Common questions

Does ruffled 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 ruffled sword need CO2?

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

How much light does ruffled sword need?

Ruffled sword wants medium light. A light sold for planted tanks covers it.

Does ruffled sword need root tabs?

Yes. Ruffled sword draws much of its food through its roots. Push root tabs in near it, or grow it in a nutrient-rich soil.

How do you propagate ruffled sword?

Ruffled 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 ruffled sword grow?

Ruffled sword grows to about 23.6 in (60 cm) tall. It grows at a moderate pace.

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