Amazon Sword (Echinodorus sp)

Amazon Sword (Echinodorus sp) 

A classic background plant for freshwater aquariums, Amazon Sword is known for its large, lush green leaves, easy care, and ability to instantly give your tank a full, “finished” look.

Amazon Sword Overview

Amazon Sword (Echinodorus sp.) originates from South America and is one of the most popular aquarium plants in the hobby—for good reason. It forms a rosette of broad, lance-shaped leaves that fan out from the base, creating a dense, bushy clump of greenery.

In the aquarium, a mature Amazon Sword makes an ideal background or centerpiece plant, especially in medium to large tanks. Its tall, arching leaves:

• Provide a striking backdrop for your aquascape
• Create natural cover for fish that appreciate shelter
• Help “hide” equipment such as heaters, filter intakes, and airline tubing
• Serve as natural spawning sites for many species, such as angelfish and discus, which often lay their eggs directly on the broad leaves

Because of its size and presence, a well-grown Amazon Sword can easily become the focal point of your aquascape. It is also a heavy root feeder and will send out a deep, extensive root system. Over time, it may produce runners or side shoots that can be separated and replanted to propagate new plants.

Caring for Amazon Sword

Amazon Sword is undemanding and adapts well to a wide range of aquarium conditions, making it suitable for both beginners and experienced aquascapers alike.

• Light: Moderate (can tolerate lower light, but grows fuller with moderate lighting)
• Temperature Range: 68–82°F
• Placement: Background / focal point
• CO₂: Not required (though growth and leaf size may improve with CO₂ and good nutrition)
• Difficulty: Easy
• Growth Rate: Moderate

You can plant Amazon Sword in standard aquarium gravel; no specialized soil is absolutely required. However, it will perform best in a loosely packed, nutrient-rich substrate or when supplemented with root tabs, since it absorbs much of its nutrition through its roots. As the plant matures, its root system can become quite large, spreading deep and wide beneath the substrate, so it is important to give it enough space so it does not crowd out neighboring plants. For best health and appearance, periodically remove older or damaged leaves and thin out any runners or side shoots if you want to keep the plant’s size in check.

Amazon Sword is also available potted, which can make initial planting easier and help the plant establish quickly once introduced into your aquarium.

Why Buy Amazon Sword from Modern Aquarium

The Amazon Sword plants offered by Modern Aquarium are carefully selected for vigor, coloration, and root health so they can settle into your aquarium and begin growing with minimal fuss.

• Top Quality Store: Modern Aquarium has been designated by Google as a Top Quality Store on Google and has over 2,000 individual verified reviews from real customers, so you can shop with confidence.
• Live Arrival Guarantee & Fast Shipping: All of our live plants are covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee and are shipped via FedEx 2-Day delivery to help ensure they reach you healthy, fresh, and ready to thrive.
• Trusted Sourcing: Our plants are sourced from some of the best nurseries in Florida and are handled with care from the grower to your aquarium.
• What You See Is What You Get: Every image on our site is a typical representation of the plants we sell—no unrealistic stock photos. Because live plants are natural products, individual specimens will vary in size, fullness, and coloration.

To build a layered, natural aquascape around your Amazon Sword, pair it with foreground plants (such as smaller rosette or carpeting species) and midground plants from our live aquarium plants collection, then complete the layout with our driftwood, aquascaping rocks, and botanicals for a lush, riverbank-inspired environment your fish will love.