Echinodorus cordifolius (Emersed)

Echinodorus cordifolius, the Heartleaf Amazon Sword or Radican Sword, is one of the largest and most impressive members of the Echinodorus genus. In its emersed form — the growth mode it naturally adopts in seasonal floodplain habitats — it produces enormous heart-shaped leaves on long arching petioles that can reach 60 cm in height, with a bold, tropical character that dominates any paludarium composition. The emersed leaves are noticeably larger and more robust than the submerged form.

Perhaps most remarkably, E. cordifolius produces long, arching inflorescence stems that cascade outward and downward from the central rosette, bearing both flowers and adventitious plantlets at each node. These plantlets are an efficient and prolific propagation mechanism — each stem may produce 8–15 plantlets that can be detached once they develop roots. This self-generating quality makes it an extremely rewarding plant for the riparian zone of large paludariums.

Light: Medium to high; 2,000–6,000 lux; emersed growth is most vigorous under strong light. CO2/Humidity: No CO2; roots submerged or in saturated substrate; emersed leaves in warm humid or open air. Fertilisation: Weekly root-tab or liquid fertiliser; as a large plant it has significant nutrient requirements. Placement: Plant in deep, rich substrate at the waterline; allow emersed leaves and flower stems to grow up and outward over the paludarium land zone. Propagation: Detach plantlets from inflorescence stems once they have 3–4 leaves and visible roots; pot individually.