The Life Span of the Amazon Sword Plant

Description

• As their name suggests, Amazon sword plants are native to the Amazon river basin in South America. They are large aquatic plants that have up to 30 pale-green leaves terminating in sharp points. The leaves can grow up to 20 inches long and 8 inches wide, and all the leaves originate from a central root system. These resilient plants grow directly in the substrate of freshwater aquariums due to a vigorous, rhizomatic root system that readily anchors the plant to the base of the aquarium.

Growing Conditions

• Amazon sword plants grow best in water temperatures between 75 and 82 degrees F. The plants need medium to bright light in order to fuel their large size and fast growth rate in home aquariums. Amazon sword plants require pH levels between 6.5 and 7.5 and sometimes turn yellow and wilt due to iron deficiencies in the aquarium water as the plants grow larger. Supplement their aquarium water with an aquatic plant fertilizer that contains chelated iron to facilitate a long life span in your Amazon sword plant.

Propagation

• Amazon sword plants reproduce on their own in home aquariums without assistance. New plants are formed from the root system of the parent plant. If left alone, the new plant will grow alongside the parent plant and flourish when the parent plant dies, making it simple to continue keeping Amazon sword plants in your aquarium for the life of your tank. You can also untangle the young plants from the parent's root system and transplant them in another location in your aquarium.

Benefits

• A healthy Amazon sword plant is beneficial to an aquarium environment throughout its life. The plants provide a long-lived focal point in large aquariums due to their size and also provide habitat for aquarium fish. The leaves are a source of food for herbivorous species and can tolerate light grazing without problem. Amazon sword plants trap and process a large volume of organic waste in freshwater aquariums and help keep dissolved oxygen concentrations high through photosynthesis, both of which help maintain a healthy aquatic environment for freshwater fish.