This potted format of Helanthium Vesuvius (formerly Echinodorus Vesuvius) arrives rooted and ready to plant. Bright green leaves grow in a distinctive curling, corkscrew pattern, and this hardy carpeting sword propagates readily via runners.
| Skill Level |
Easy |
| CO2 |
Not Required |
| Requires Aqua Soil |
Recommended — heavy root feeder |
| Type |
Rooted |
| Max Height |
4-6" |
| Placement |
Foreground to midground |
| Light Level |
Low to Medium (approx. 20-50 PAR) |
| Origin |
Cultivated variety (Echinodorus/Helanthium lineage), South America |
| Other |
Also available as a Bunch. Nutrient-rich substrate speeds up runner production. |
Care & Planting: Remove pot and root wool before planting into nutrient-rich substrate.
A note on "melting": Like most Amazon Swords and Cryptocoryne species, this plant is farm-grown emersed (above water). When you first submerge it, don't be alarmed if the original leaves die back over the first few weeks — this is called melting, and it's a normal part of the transition, not a sign the plant is failing. Emersed leaves are built for air and only have stomata on their underside; once submerged, the plant sheds them in favor of new underwater leaves with stomata on both sides, better suited to absorbing CO2 from the water. New submersed growth typically appears within a few weeks.
