Red Flame Sword [Echinodorus]

Echinodorus 'Red Flame' — Red Flame Sword

A hardy, colorful sword plant with red-marbled leaves — easy warmth and contrast for the background

The Red Flame Sword is one of the easiest ways to bring bold color to an aquarium. A variety of the classic Amazon Sword, it produces broad leaves marbled in bright-to-deep red over green, creating a warm, striking contrast against surrounding greenery. Like other swords, it's hardy, low-maintenance, and forgiving — thriving without CO2 across a wide range of conditions. It grows slowly into a substantial background plant whose colorful foliage becomes a genuine focal point, especially in larger, well-lit tanks. Give it a nutrient-rich root zone, and it rewards you with rich color and steady, easygoing growth.

AQUASCAPING TIP: Swords are heavy root feeders, so the single best thing you can do is tuck root tabs into the substrate near the roots — this is the key to lush, deeply colored growth. Plant it with the crown (where leaves meet roots) sitting just above the substrate, and give it good light plus iron to bring the red marbling to its fullest. Use it as a background anchor and prune older leaves to keep fresh, vibrant growth coming.

AT A GLANCE

CARE GUIDE

CUSTOMER QUESTIONS ANSWERED

(Q) It's melting and dropping leaves after I planted it — is it dying?

= Almost certainly not — this is normal for sword plants. Echinodorus are usually grown emersed (above water) at the nursery, so when you plant them underwater, they often shed their older emersed-grown leaves and replace them with new leaves adapted to submerged life. The roots and crown stay alive and healthy the whole time. Don't throw it out — simply trim away any fully melted leaves, keep conditions stable, and be patient. Within a few weeks, you'll see fresh submersed growth emerging, and the plant will settle in stronger than before.

(Q) Will the leaves be red, or mostly green? How do I get the best color?

= The red develops best with good light and proper feeding. Under low light and poor nutrition, it leans greener; with brighter light and — importantly — iron and root-tab feeding, the red marbling and speckling deepen into that signature warm "flame" look. The newest growth shows the richest color, so give fresh leaves time to develop. In short: more light plus iron-rich root feeding equals more red. Even in a greener state, its marbled foliage adds warmth that all-green plants can't.

(Q) How do I plant and feed it, and how big does it get?

= It's a rooted rosette plant, so plant the roots into the substrate but leave the crown (where the leaves meet the roots) sitting just above it — burying the crown can cause rot. The most important care step is feeding: swords are heavy root feeders, so root tabs tucked near the roots make a huge difference to growth and color (a nutrient-rich substrate helps too). Size-wise, it's a background plant with broad leaves that can reach 12 inches or more, so give it room and use it as a background focal point in medium-to-large tanks. It grows slowly, so it won't take over quickly — but plan for its eventual spread.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

1 Red Flame Sword (Echinodorus) plant, 6+ inches, with healthy roots ready to plant on arrival. Plant with the crown above the substrate and add root tabs for best results. It may drop older leaves as it transitions to submersed growth — this is normal; see the FAQ above. Rinse gently before planting.

Ships within 10–15 business days.