Echinodorus 'Ozelot'

Echinodorus 'Ozelot' is a European hybrid cultivar bred in Germany, believed to be a cross between E. schlueteri and E. barthii, first released by Hans Barth in the 1990s. Its broad, oval leaves are olive-green with irregular reddish-brown spots and blotches distributed across the surface — an effect reminiscent of an ocelot's coat, from which the cultivar takes its name. The rosette reaches 25–40 cm, making it an ideal midground-to-background specimen in medium and large planted tanks.

The Ozelot Sword is one of the most reliable and widely available Echinodorus cultivars: it is undemanding, grows readily under medium light without CO2 injection, and maintains its characteristic spotting pattern year-round. The spotting tends to be most vivid on younger leaves and under good light and iron availability, fading somewhat on mature or nutrient-starved foliage.

Its visual appeal, ease of culture, and ready availability have made it one of the best-selling sword plants in the global hobby for more than two decades, equally suitable for beginner community tanks and specialist planted aquascapes.

Light: Medium (35–65 PAR); spot intensity increases with light and iron availability. CO2: Not required; supplementation is optional and modestly beneficial. Fertilisation: Root tabs every 3 months; liquid iron supplement weekly to maintain vivid spot colouration. Placement: Midground to background; plant singly as a specimen; keep crown above substrate. Propagation: Daughter plants form on long flower stalks — sever once each has 3+ leaves and roots.