Leaf colourgreen, pink or purple +1
Native range
- Brazil North
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- Guyana
- Peru
- Venezuela
rosette midground
A sword plant that grows outward rather than upward: firm heart-shaped leaves held almost horizontally, so the plant is wider than it is tall. New leaves come up brownish pink and turn green.
- Light
- low–high
- Difficulty
- easy
- Temperature
- 18 – 28 °C
Parameters
Plant typerosette
Growth rateslow
Tolerates lightlow – high
Placementmidground
Propagationplantlets on the inflorescence +2
Grows emersedyes
Appearance
Broad heart-shaped blades on long stalks, light to medium green with clear veining, standing out sideways instead of upright. That habit is what the plant is named for and what makes it recognisable at a glance.
Keeping
Easy and slow. Like all sword plants it feeds mainly through the roots, so a nutritious substrate or root tablets matter more than anything dosed in the water. Light can be dim or bright; carbon dioxide is optional. It takes a while to settle after planting and dislikes being moved.
Placement
The middle of the tank, alone. Its width means neighbours have to be planted well clear, and the horizontal leaves shade whatever sits under them.
Propagation
By young plants that form on the flower stalk: leave them until they have roots and leaves of their own, then cut them off and plant them. A large rhizome can also be divided.
Fish and this plant
Water conditions match
The water suits 1007 of 1249 species in the catalogue — these are the ones people look up most often.
Swordtail GuppiesCobra GuppyBlood Red MollyButterflyfishRed Zebra CichlidJulii CorydorasRed-finned ParotocinclusGastromyzon monticolaEgg-shaped GoldfishFlame TetraGardner's KillifishAfrican TetraKenyi CichlidCuckoo CatfishGolden SwordtailHypsolebias picturatusCommon ZaccoLabeo BicolorGambusiaFlying barbGastromyzon scitulusAlbino Zebra DanioGeophagus BrokopondoZebra Mbuna
Will eat this plant
These species damage plants, especially when their diet is short of vegetable food.
Bengal LoachZebra LoachBurmese Border LoachEmperor BotiaMarbled HeadstanderPellegrin's LeporinusLeporinus striatusFalse Black TetraCommon MetynnisMylossoma duriventreRed Whiptail CatfishMolly sphenopsBalloon MollyLyretail MollyMarble MollyHi-Fin PlatyHawaii PlatyBlue PlatyPintail PlatyBlack PlatyChocolate MollyMoonlight GouramiMelanotaenia parva
Will uproot it
These species dig through the substrate and pull rooted plants out.
Marble LoachPeacock EelForktail LoachGuntea LoachLong-nosed LoachHorseface LoachPearlscaleBlack Moor GoldfishShubunkinPainted PlecoFeatherfin SynodontisReddish Mystus CatfishBlue AcaraAulonocara maylandiAulonocara multicolorAulonocara OrchidGeophagus altifronsGeophagus winemilleriPearlscale CichlidPearl CichlidRedbelly CichlidRed-spotted CichlidChuco godmanniHaplochromis philanderRed ChromideJack Dempsey cichlid
Cultivars
The same plant with a different look: light, water and care are shared with the species.
Other varieties: Echinodorus horizontalis, Echinodorus Horizontalis Variegated, Echinodorus Horizontalis, Echinodorus Horizontalis Mini