TankBud

Vesuvius sword

Helanthium bolivianum 'Vesuvius'

Also known as Echinodorus 'Vesuvius', Echinodorus angustifolius 'Vesuvius', Corkscrew sword, Twisted chain sword, Echinodorus sp. tortifolia

FreshwaterRosetteRunnersPlantlets

Vesuvius sword (Helanthium bolivianum 'Vesuvius')
Aquarium Plants Factory · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Light
Medium light
CO2
CO₂ beneficial
Temperature
72–82°F
22–28°C
Max height
11.8 in
30 cm
Growth rate
Medium
Placement
Midground
Type
Rosette
pH
5.5–7.5
Hardness
2–18 dGH
Spread
5.9 in (15 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Easy
Family
Alismataceae
Origin
Cultivar (from South American Helanthium bolivianum)

Overview

Plant it in the midground or as an accent in nano scapes where the curling leaves can be seen, rooting the rosette in fine substrate. It is easy, tolerates medium light, and does not strictly need CO2 as long as pH stays below about 7.5, though CO2 and root feeding give fuller, faster growth. Like other swords it is a heavy root feeder, so use root tabs or aquasoil. If it is thriving it pumps out runners with new plants, so trim and replant to keep it tidy.

In the wild

Vesuvius does not exist in the wild. It is a cultivated mutant selected from the narrow-leaf form of the South American chain sword Helanthium bolivianum (the 'Angustifolius' type), first propagated commercially at a nursery in Singapore. The parent species grows in shallow, seasonally flooded South American waters and spreads by runners. Vesuvius keeps that runner-forming habit while showing its distinctive corkscrew leaves.

Good to know

Its standout feature is the tightly twisted, roughly 4 mm wide leaves that spiral upward from the rosette, a stable mutation that breeds true through runners. It is sold under several names because the genus was reclassified: Echinodorus 'Vesuvius', Echinodorus bolivianus 'Vesuvius' and the informal sp. tortifolia all refer to the same plant now placed in Helanthium. Being a clonal cultivar, every Vesuvius in the trade is genetically the same selected plant.

Did you know

Did you know Vesuvius is named for its volcano-like look? The leaves erupt from a central rosette and spiral upward like a curl of smoke, which is exactly the effect the nursery was selecting for.

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