Description

The Amazon sword is the classic background plant: a rosette of long, lance-shaped leaves that in a tall tank becomes a focal point on its own. It is the image of the traditional planted aquarium, and it still works because it is tough, forgiving and grows without CO2. What you need to know is that it gets big: an adult plant takes up half a metre across and as much in height, and in a 60 cm tank it swallows the space. It is a deep-rooted plant that feeds from the substrate, so it appreciates a nutrient-rich base or fertiliser tabs next to the roots.
Scientific name
Aquarius grisebachii
Position
Rear
Difficulty
Easy
Natural grow
Medium
Max height
50 cm

🌊 Water parameters

pH
6.5 - 7.5
GH
3 - 15
Temperature
20 - 28 °C
Current
Low or moderate

Requirements

Light requirements
Low
Light spectrum requirements
6000 - 8000 (Kelvin)
Require CO2
no
Soil requirements
Nutritious sustrate

Habitats

Sources

  • GBIF
    GBIF Secretariat (2026). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset. https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei. Consultado vía GBIF.org, 2026-08. Aquarius grisebachii.
  • Tropica
    Tropica Aquarium Plants. Plant database. Ficha de cultivo; consultada 2026-10. Aquarius grisebachii.

The trade sells it as Echinodorus grisebachii, E. amazonicus or 'Bleherae'; GBIF accepts Aquarius grisebachii since the genus was revised.

Tropica supports the light, CO2, growth and difficulty; the pH, temperature and hardness ranges have no citable source.