Echinodorus martii Care Guide
Echinodorus martii, the Ruffled Amazon Sword, has large translucent light-green leaves with bright veins and strongly undulating margins, a classic specimen sword.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Echinodorus martii, often sold as the Ruffled Amazon Sword and closely linked to E. major, is a sword plant in the family Alismataceae native to eastern Brazil. It produces large, light-green, translucent leaves with bright veins and a strongly undulating (ruffled) margin. It is grown as a specimen rosette and is well suited to medium and large aquariums, where it can serve as a central focal point.
Taxonomy
- Family: Alismataceae
- Genus: Echinodorus
- Scientific name: Echinodorus martii
Habitat
The plant is native to eastern Brazil. Like other Echinodorus it is a marshland and riverine plant that grows submersed in shallow flowing water and can also grow emersed when water levels fall.
Tank requirements
- Temperature: 22-28 °C (72-82 °F)
- pH: 6.0-7.5
- GH: 3-14 °dGH
- Lighting: moderate
- CO2: not required, but enrichment enhances growth significantly
- Growth rate: medium
- Maximum height: about 50 cm
- Placement: midground to background specimen
Planting and care
It is undemanding and tolerates varied water conditions, but as a heavy root feeder it needs nutrient-rich substrate or root tabs. The species is sensitive to iron deficiency, which can turn the leaves almost white and transparent, so iron-bearing fertilisation is important. Moderate light is sufficient, while higher light and CO2 enrichment significantly enhance growth.
Propagation
Propagation is by adventitious plantlets on the flower stalks. Once these plantlets develop their own roots they can be separated and replanted.
Propagating Echinodorus martii (Ruffled Amazon Sword)
Overview
Echinodorus martii, the ruffled Amazon sword, is a large rosette sword close to E. major, prized for strongly undulating translucent leaves. Like all members of the genus, it is by nature a marsh and bog plant that can grow submersed, making it a classic specimen plant for nature-style aquariums.
It is not propagated from stem cuttings. New plants come from adventitious daughter plantlets on the flower stalk and from dividing a mature crown or rhizome.
Propagation Method (Adventitious Plantlets / Division)
Across the genus, propagation is by division or by adventitious new plants developing on submerged flowering stems. If the inflorescence forms submersed, small plantlets form instead of flowers. A healthy E. martii therefore sends up a flower stalk on which the submersed nodes grow daughter rosettes.
Each node or whorl, with its three bracts, is able to make at least three plantlets, so a single stalk can yield many young plants. Division of a large clump is the alternative when no stalk is present.
Step-by-Step
- Wait for a mature plant to push up a flower stalk.
- Keep the stalk submersed so plantlets form instead of flowers; anchor it down under the surface with thread and a stone if needed.
- Let plantlets develop leaves and roots at the nodes; each whorl can carry three or more.
- When a plantlet has its own root system, remove it from the stalk and plant it in rich substrate.
- When all plantlets are gone, remove the spent stalk.
- To divide instead, lift the clump and separate it into pieces that each keep roots and leaves, then replant.
Conditions for Healthy Growth
Echinodorus prefer good light and grow best in a deep, nutrient-rich substrate, and additional CO2 often helps strong growth. Most need tropical or sub-tropical temperatures. As a large sword, E. martii needs room and steady feeding to hold its broad ruffled leaves.
Maintenance
Trim away old or damaged outer leaves at the base to keep light on the centre of the rosette and stop the plant overshadowing neighbours. Replenish root tabs periodically and keep nitrate and iron available so the translucent leaves stay firm.