My Sword Plant Is Growing Horizontally

Description of the Plant

• There are several types of sword plant, which are in the genus Echinodorus. The Amazon sword plant is one of the most common and is a large plant with a rosette form. There is also the Pygmy Chain, Brazilian and others. Sword plants are water plantains and attain the same form as the wild, native species. Plants grown in water have a more pronounced vertical form due to the liquid’s buoyancy. Plants grown at the edge of water are recumbent and splayed. Sword plants are tropical to subtropical species.

Care

• As a tropical plant, the sword plant requires temperatures of at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit and does not tolerate freezing conditions. The plants need at least 12 hours of bright, direct light and should grow in tanks where there is no algae clouding the water. Ensure the water pH is 6.5 to 7.5 and do not grow it where there are snails or larger vegetarian fish like Plecostumus. Remove any leaves that discolor and die, as these make way for the next generation of leaves. The new leaves start at the top vertically and gradually move down to a more horizontal position at the rosette’s base.

Propagation

• Sword plants produce offsets of growth on their sides. This horizontal growth can be removed from the parent plant and installed as an individual. Sword plants also occasionally produce an inflorescence, which sport smaller versions of the plant on the stem. The larger plants may be divided and grown separately, as an easy way to increase your collection. Sword plants like the Amazon grow so quickly they need dividing every few years.

Anchoring

• The plants have short, shallow root systems and float in the water if not anchored. Aquarium weights can or soil staples hold the roots in the medium. There are also small, weighted metal threads that you can lightly wrap around the plant’s base. Without an anchor, the plants look like horizontally rayed leaves. When properly installed, the foliage bristles around the plant like a halo, and the leaves receive more sun and nutrients.