Echinodorus 'Rubin'

Echinodorus 'Rubin' — German for ruby — is a classic European cultivar that has been a staple of the planted aquarium hobby for decades, prized for its consistently deep, wine-red to burgundy leaf colouration across the entire rosette. Unlike some red cultivars where only young leaves show colour, 'Rubin' maintains red tones in both young and maturing leaves, creating a uniformly coloured rosette that is visually cohesive from all angles. Plants reach 25–40 cm, suitable for midground use.

The depth of colour is highest under medium-to-bright light with good iron availability. In low light or iron-deficient conditions the leaves tend toward a dull brownish-red or olive tone. The cultivar is moderately easy, tolerating a wide range of tropical water parameters without special treatment, though it grows best in soft to moderately hard water with consistent nutrient supplementation.

Echinodorus 'Rubin' remains one of the benchmark red sword plants against which newer cultivars are measured, offering a combination of reliable colour, manageable size, and ease of culture that few competitors match.

Light: Medium to high (45–75 PAR); deeper colour maintained with higher light intensity. CO2: Beneficial (15–25 mg/L); sustains vigorous growth and maximises leaf size. Fertilisation: Root tabs every 3 months; liquid iron weekly — critical for maintaining burgundy colouration. Placement: Midground specimen; plant singly with 15–20 cm clearance; keep crown above substrate. Propagation: Flower stalks produce daughter plantlets — sever once they have 3+ leaves and roots.