Just got my enchidorus bleheri sprout poking out of the water. Not sure what to do with it, any advice?
Also, I've been really lucky and got some land grass growing underwater. Now I want to move it to my tank - how do I prep it for the transfer? Would love to have it thriving in there.
Growing amazon swords and land grass in aquatic environments
Re: Growing amazon swords and land grass in aquatic environments
You can let the sprout continue to grow above the water.
Re: Growing amazon swords and land grass in aquatic environments
The Echinodorus grisebachii "bleheri" variety is what you're actually dealing with here. I'm a bit of a stickler for taxonomy, so I figured I'd point out the correct species.
That inflorescence will grow either submersed or emersed, depending on the environment it's in - in this case, it's found an opening and is growing out of the water. It won't produce flowers, but you will see adventitious plants develop along the stem, typically two from each node. I recall a past experience where I let an inflorescence of this species grow out of the water, and the adventitious plants didn't develop as expected - likely due to the lack of water support. If you let it grow emersed, you might have a different outcome. However, the adventitious plants that develop submersed will continue to grow, and you can either leave them as is or remove some once they've developed a few leaves and roots. I've noticed that the plants closer to the surface tend to get covered in black brush algae. Emersed-grown leaves will also differ from submersed ones, as they have different roles in terms of moisture preservation and nutrient exchange.
As for the grass, I wouldn't recommend growing it in your aquarium. It's not meant to be permanently submersed, just like with Echinodorus cultivation. The leaves function differently, and the grass will likely rot, causing a mess. You might want to leave it in the jar and observe how long it lasts.
That inflorescence will grow either submersed or emersed, depending on the environment it's in - in this case, it's found an opening and is growing out of the water. It won't produce flowers, but you will see adventitious plants develop along the stem, typically two from each node. I recall a past experience where I let an inflorescence of this species grow out of the water, and the adventitious plants didn't develop as expected - likely due to the lack of water support. If you let it grow emersed, you might have a different outcome. However, the adventitious plants that develop submersed will continue to grow, and you can either leave them as is or remove some once they've developed a few leaves and roots. I've noticed that the plants closer to the surface tend to get covered in black brush algae. Emersed-grown leaves will also differ from submersed ones, as they have different roles in terms of moisture preservation and nutrient exchange.
As for the grass, I wouldn't recommend growing it in your aquarium. It's not meant to be permanently submersed, just like with Echinodorus cultivation. The leaves function differently, and the grass will likely rot, causing a mess. You might want to leave it in the jar and observe how long it lasts.
Re: Growing amazon swords and land grass in aquatic environments
I wanted to show an inflorescence in flower, as it might be of interest. Echinodorus major is the only species that will develop flowers along the inflorescence when the parent plant is grown submersed. I had two of these plants for over a decade, and one of them flowered three times. The first of the attached photos is the last time this happened, in March 2019 - as you can see, typical Echinodorus-type flowers, small and white. I allowed this inflorescence to grow out of the tank, just to see what would happen. The flowers lasted a few days each, and seeds developed. The second and third photos are of flowers from 2017.
Re: Growing amazon swords and land grass in aquatic environments
I think I'll let the sprout grow out of water and see what happens. Since I've got two sprouts, I'll try one outside the water and one submerged - just to see. It's really interesting, never saw this before in aquatic plants except my anubias heterophylla that used to be Candy's favorite, it grew a leaf above water surface.
I'll give some updates later on.
So this 'bleheri' is actually Echinodorus grisebachii? My little thing says it's Echinodorus bleheri for some reason... or maybe it just doesn't show its scientific name?
As for the grass, it was brought into the jar as a seed and some days ago it just started sprouting - now it just grows underwater. I'll see how it goes, if it's not gonna become a mess, I might put it in my tank.
I'll give some updates later on.
So this 'bleheri' is actually Echinodorus grisebachii? My little thing says it's Echinodorus bleheri for some reason... or maybe it just doesn't show its scientific name?
As for the grass, it was brought into the jar as a seed and some days ago it just started sprouting - now it just grows underwater. I'll see how it goes, if it's not gonna become a mess, I might put it in my tank.
Re: Growing amazon swords and land grass in aquatic environments
I love it when members give me an opening like this to explain species. I'll just cut and paste from a profile of this species I wrote years ago for another site - it's also a forum and we don't link to other forums. As will be explained, the "species" Echinodorus bleherae is now synonymous with E. grisebachii.
Echinodorus grisebachii is a plant I've had the pleasure of studying and growing in my aquariums for many years. It's a member of the family Alismataceae, not dixonmataceae, and has several synonyms, including Echinodorus amazonicus, Echinodorus amphibius, and Echinodorus bleherae, among others.
Commonly known as the Zorchzon Sword, this plant originates from Central and South America, and Cuba, where it can be found in floodplains, palm swamps, rivers, and creeks. I've found that it grows well in moderate lighting, and can even manage in lower light conditions.
The growth rate of E. grisebachii is medium, and I've found that it does best in soft to slightly hard water with a pH between 5 and 7.5. The temperature should be between 24-28C or 75-82F. I've also found that calcium supplementation is necessary if the water is very soft.
One of the things I love about this plant is its unique growth habit. The mid-green leaves can grow up to 50 cm or 20 inches in length, and will often grow to the surface of the water. In larger tanks, the plant can develop much larger in height if provided with adequate fertilization. A deep substrate is necessary, as the root system is large and will spread vertically and horizontally through the substrate.
Echinodorus plants are heavy feeders, and I've found that they require regular fertilization with a comprehensive liquid fertilizer. Adding substrate fertilization, such as root tabs, is also beneficial for stronger growth and larger development. If the leaves start to yellow or develop transparent patches, it's a sign that the plant is not getting enough nutrients.
I've also found that E. grisebachii will produce an inflorescence, or flower stalk, which can grow to the surface and above. While flowers will not appear unless the plant is grown emersed, adventitious plants will develop from each node, two per node. These plants can be detached and grown as new plants once they develop sufficient roots and leaves.
As with many species in this genus, E. grisebachii is a bog plant in nature, spending half the year emersed and half submersed. The "bleherae" variety prefers to grow submersed and adapts well to fully-submersed conditions, making it an excellent aquarium plant.
Interestingly, the plant was originally described as a distinct species, Echinodorus bleheri, and was later corrected to E. bleherae. However, it is now considered to be synonymous with E. grisebachii.
In terms of classification, Echinodorus grisebachii is a polymorphic species, meaning that it can exhibit different forms depending on the environment. While there are some differences in appearance between the different "species" that are now considered to be synonymous with E. grisebachii, the genetic variation is insufficient to establish reasonable groupings.
The species epithet grisebachii takes precedence over the others under the rules of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature because it was the first name assigned to the species. This name honors the German botanist H.R.A. Grisebach.
Echinodorus grisebachii is a plant I've had the pleasure of studying and growing in my aquariums for many years. It's a member of the family Alismataceae, not dixonmataceae, and has several synonyms, including Echinodorus amazonicus, Echinodorus amphibius, and Echinodorus bleherae, among others.
Commonly known as the Zorchzon Sword, this plant originates from Central and South America, and Cuba, where it can be found in floodplains, palm swamps, rivers, and creeks. I've found that it grows well in moderate lighting, and can even manage in lower light conditions.
The growth rate of E. grisebachii is medium, and I've found that it does best in soft to slightly hard water with a pH between 5 and 7.5. The temperature should be between 24-28C or 75-82F. I've also found that calcium supplementation is necessary if the water is very soft.
One of the things I love about this plant is its unique growth habit. The mid-green leaves can grow up to 50 cm or 20 inches in length, and will often grow to the surface of the water. In larger tanks, the plant can develop much larger in height if provided with adequate fertilization. A deep substrate is necessary, as the root system is large and will spread vertically and horizontally through the substrate.
Echinodorus plants are heavy feeders, and I've found that they require regular fertilization with a comprehensive liquid fertilizer. Adding substrate fertilization, such as root tabs, is also beneficial for stronger growth and larger development. If the leaves start to yellow or develop transparent patches, it's a sign that the plant is not getting enough nutrients.
I've also found that E. grisebachii will produce an inflorescence, or flower stalk, which can grow to the surface and above. While flowers will not appear unless the plant is grown emersed, adventitious plants will develop from each node, two per node. These plants can be detached and grown as new plants once they develop sufficient roots and leaves.
As with many species in this genus, E. grisebachii is a bog plant in nature, spending half the year emersed and half submersed. The "bleherae" variety prefers to grow submersed and adapts well to fully-submersed conditions, making it an excellent aquarium plant.
Interestingly, the plant was originally described as a distinct species, Echinodorus bleheri, and was later corrected to E. bleherae. However, it is now considered to be synonymous with E. grisebachii.
In terms of classification, Echinodorus grisebachii is a polymorphic species, meaning that it can exhibit different forms depending on the environment. While there are some differences in appearance between the different "species" that are now considered to be synonymous with E. grisebachii, the genetic variation is insufficient to establish reasonable groupings.
The species epithet grisebachii takes precedence over the others under the rules of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature because it was the first name assigned to the species. This name honors the German botanist H.R.A. Grisebach.
Re: Growing amazon swords and land grass in aquatic environments
Thanks @boomer, I really appreciate the info.
I've also got an Enchidorus spectra that's looking a bit rough, I did give it some root tabs but it's still not looking great.
I've also got an Enchidorus spectra that's looking a bit rough, I did give it some root tabs but it's still not looking great.
Re: Growing amazon swords and land grass in aquatic environments
I dug a bit deeper on Echinodorus "spectra" for you. It's a cultivar rather than a naturally occurring plant, but unfortunately, I couldn't find any information on which species it's based on or which nursery developed it. However, I did come across a site that had some helpful info on how to cultivate it. Apparently, it's a slow but steady grower with submerged leaves that display a range of colors from light green to pink, purple, yellow, and more. The site in question is aquasabi.com, a UK-based site that seems to know their stuff - they correctly identify "Bleherae" as Echinodorus grisebachii 'bleherae,' for instance.
Re: Growing amazon swords and land grass in aquatic environments
Thanks @boomer, I really appreciate all the help I'm getting from you. I'm having some trouble with my anubias nana - I'm pretty sure that's what it is, anyway. The leaves just started falling off and it's kind of disintegrating since I attached it to my driftwood.
Re: Growing amazon swords and land grass in aquatic environments
I'm a bit worried about my Echinodorus spectra, I know it's supposed to have those nice colours, and mine does, it's got a mix of light green, pink, purple, and yellow, which is really pretty. But the thing that's got me concerned is the leaves, they're all wavy and not the right shape at all.