he Broadleaf Amazon Sword from tropical South America is one of the most known and popular aquarium plants. Cultivated for many years, it was first introduced under the misapplied name “Echinodorus paniculatus”, later it was called Echinodorus bleheri for a long time. Its leaves are wider (3-6 cm) than those of E. grisebachii ‘Amazonicus’ and up to 60 cm long, lending the plant a more dominant appearance. It is mostly delivered in its terrestrial form, with longer leaf stalks and shorter leaf blades (see the photo). After planting into the aquarium, it will develop much more elongate, short stalked submerged leaves.
Older rosettes with often more than 50 leaves are an impressive eyecatcher in large tanks. It is recommendable for discus and anglefish tanks. The substrate height should not be less than 10 cm for a good root development. Combined with the runner-forming chain swords (genus Helanthium), ‘Bleherae’ allows the creation of beautiful South America-themed underwater landscapes.
As popular as this sword plant is, its space requirement should be considered. In medium sized tanks it gets too large soon; an alternative for smaller tanks is Echinodorus grisebachii ‘Parviflorus’ that looks similar but stays considerably lower.
Planting Instructions
- Remove the label
- Remove the rock wool together with the plant from the net pot
- Remove the rock wool from the root system , take care not to break or tear the larger roots while doing this
- Plant the stems using tweezers into the substrate
Transitioning process – emersed to submersed growth in your aquarium
- Provide good water conditions for your plants
- Dose a respectable aquatic fertilizer for your plants , follow the instructions from the manufacturer
- Provide the correct lighting spectrum , based on the plants needs
- Prune dead leaves and stems constantly
- A Co2 system is a good addition into your aquarium for the plants to flourish
- Conduct 20-30% water changed once a week to ensure good water conditions
- Patience is key for the transition to take place
In a few days, after placing your plants in the aquarium you will notice some of the leaves start to melt and fall away.
This means the transition process has started. Please note the plants might look DEAD, but they are fully alive, so do not panic. After a few days you will notice new growth will appear and the plant will fully change its form into submersed growth. Continuous trimming and fertilization is needed for the plants to thrive in your aquarium. All plants have specific needs but if you follow the general instructions on our labels the plant will transition well and will eventually succeed and prosper in your aquarium.