Description
Plant Profile
Echinodorus martii, commonly known as the Ruffle Sword, is a classic aquatic rosette plant that remains a favorite choice for building a bold, textured planted tank background. Native to Central and South America, it stands out immediately thanks to its long, light green leaves featuring eye-catching wavy, ruffled margins that bring movement to the rear of your display. As a heavy-duty focal point, its wide foliage acts as a natural screen, effortlessly blocking heater cables, filter pipes, and background equipment out of view. It is a wonderfully low-maintenance choice among aquarium plants for beginners, provided you give its hungry root system a rich substrate to anchor into.
Key Features & Notes
They can be great plants for larger tanks and will grow either submerged or emersed.
Vibrant bright green foliage provides rich color contrast when positioned alongside red aquatic plants or dark hardscape.
Thrives in low-tech setups, though rich substrate nutrients and moderate light encourage faster, fuller rosette growth.
Care & Planting Instructions
Prep the plant by removing it from the pot and clearing all rockwool from the roots.
Plant the roots deeply into your aquarium soil, keeping the crown of the plant resting just above the substrate surface to prevent rot.
Provide root tab fertilization and reliable lighting to feed these nutrient-loving plants and sustain fast vertical growth.
Supplemental CO2 injection accelerates growth and encourages denser, fuller foliage, though the plant will still grow steadily in low-tech setups.
Ruffle sword plants propagate through side shoots off of their leaves, which can be trimmed and replanted into the substrate. To control the size of your Ruffle sword plant, you can remove the side shoots and older leaves.
Maintain stable water parameters to prevent leaf shedding during the initial transition period.
Quick Facts
Listed information should be treated as general guidelines only. Team Buce Plant encourages you to do thorough research to ensure healthy growth!
Attribute
Specification
Scientific Name
Echinodorus martii (syn. Echinodorus major)
Common Name(s)
Echinodorus Major, Ruffle Sword, Ruffled Sword Plant
Family
Alismataceae
Plant Type / Taxonomy
Rosette plant
Care Difficulty
Easy
Light Requirement
Moderate
CO2 Requirement
Not necessary (Optional)
Placement / Usage
Background
Height / Size
12–24 inches
Growth Rate
Moderate
Water Parameters
pH 6.5–7.5
Propagation Method
Adventitious plantlets on flower stalks or division
Origin
Central & South America
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I prune an Echinodorus when it grows too large?
Prune older or overgrown outer leaves individually near the root crown using sharp aquascaping scissors. Avoid cutting across leaf blades, as damaged leaf tips will turn brown rather than regrowing.
2. Can this background plant grow in low-tech aquariums without CO2?
Yes, this species thrives in low-tech aquariums without pressurized CO2, provided it receives adequate root supplementation and consistent lighting.
3. Why are the leaves on my new Echinodorus melting or turning yellow?
Sword plants are often grown emersed and shed their old emersed leaves when submerged to adapt to underwater growth. Keep water parameters stable and supply root tabs near the base to support new leaves.
