Echinodorus palaefolius

Echinodorus palaefolius (family Alismataceae) (Mexican sword plant) is a very tall delicate plant  with very tall thin petioles and spear shaped leaf blades. This plant normally  tries to grow out of the aquarium but can be kept aquatic by removing the  new tall leaves, this seems to dwarf the next few leaves a bit. This is a  fast growing plant so demands a good fertile substrate and a good light source.  Echinodorus palaefolius flowers if left to grow through the surface and plantlets  are formed on the flower stalks like the other species of Echinodorus.

• Height: 20-40+ cm
• Width: 20-40+ cm
• Light requirements medium-very high
• Temperature: 20-28 °C
• Hardness tolerance soft-very hard
• pH tolerance: 5.5-8
• Growth: medium
• Demands: medium

In marshy conditions Echinodorus palaefolius var. latifolius has round leaves with a horizontal leaf base. Under water the leaves are narrower and longer. In the aquarium it tends to grow out of the water. This can be prevented by removing the long leaves just before they reach the water surface. The next leaves will then become shorter and the plant will remain under water. In open aquariums the plant can be allowed to grow out of the water.

Habitat

This is an aquatic emergent plant. It has very high moisture needs; suitable for bogs and water gardens.