Echinodorus nymphaeifolius

Echinodorus nymphaeifolius is a distinctive Central American species whose common name — Water-lily-leaved Sword — perfectly describes its broad, rounded, slightly cupped submerged leaves held on lengthy petioles. In the aquarium it forms an open, spreading rosette of 20–45 cm, with each leaf creating a horizontal plane that resembles a miniature water lily pad floating above the substrate. This unusual growth form differentiates it visually from virtually all other sword plants.

It prefers warmer tropical water temperatures and grows best at 24–28°C. The plant adapts to a range of water chemistry but shows a preference for soft to moderately hard water with adequate nutrients. It is a root feeder like all Echinodorus and rewards substrate supplementation with larger, more impressive leaf growth.

E. nymphaeifolius is a rewarding collector's species for aquarists seeking an unusual midground plant that creates a different kind of horizontal layering in the aquascape, particularly effective in layouts with open mid-water space for the leaves to spread into.

Light: Medium (35–60 PAR); adequate light ensures full leaf development. CO2: Not required; CO2 supplementation accelerates growth and leaf size. Fertilisation: Root tabs every 3 months; liquid all-in-one fertiliser weekly. Placement: Midground with open lateral space; allow at least 20 cm clearance for leaf spread. Propagation: Daughter plants on flower stalks — remove once self-rooting.