Radican Sword

Echinodorus cordifolius is a sword plant that grows in the marshes and shallow waters of North and Central America. Its leaves, carried on long stalks, are broad with a heart-shaped base and are light to medium green. Underwater it reaches 30–50 cm; under suitable conditions it produces much larger emersed leaves. The 'Marble Queen' form, with cream-variegated leaves, is also common.

Because in nature it usually lives above the water, in the aquarium it also tends to send its leaf stalks toward the surface. That is why it is better suited to deep aquariums of at least 100 liters or open-top layouts (paludariums).

• Bury the roots completely, leaving the crown exposed.
• Its strong roots need at least 6 cm of nutrient-rich substrate or root tabs.
• Plant it in the background or on its own as a focal plant, leaving plenty of space around it.

• Light: Medium. Very strong light can push the plant to produce emersed leaves.
• CO₂: Not required; with it, submersed leaves appear more often.
• Fertilizer: A root tab once a month.
• Trimming: To keep the plant submerged, cut long-stalked leaves that reach the surface off at the base early. If these leaves are allowed, the plant puts its energy into them and the submersed leaves below get smaller.

It forms plantlets on long flower stalks. If the stalk is laid in the water or pinned to the substrate, the plantlets root; when they have opened a few leaves, they are cut off and planted. It can also flower above the water and set seed, but in the aquarium propagating it from plantlets is easier.

• Leaves always growing toward the surface: this is its natural tendency; cut long stalks regularly and keep the photoperiod at 8 hours a day.
• Stalling: some plants may go for a while without producing new leaves; if nutrients and light are sufficient, they resume growing.
• Yellowing leaves: root nutrients are depleted; replace the tabs.