Echinodorus Impai

Quick facts

Identity

Also known as

Amazon Sword Impai; Impai Sword

Synonyms

Echinodorus 'Impaii'

Environment

Freshwater

Native to

Brazil, South America

Habitat

Shallow, warm margins of rivers and ponds in the Mato Grosso region, often shaded by riparian vegetation

Sourcing

Aquacultured

Conservation

Not Evaluated

Care

Care level

Easy

Growth form

Rosette

Max height

6 – 20 in (15 – 51 cm)

Spread

16 in (41 cm)

Growth rate

Fast

Placement

Background, Midground

Water

Temperature

68 – 82 °F (20 – 28 °C)

pH

6.0 – 7.5

GH

3 – 10 dGH

dKH

2 – 12 dKH

PAR

30 – 80 PAR

Flow

Low-Moderate

Light

Medium

CO₂

Beneficial

Planting

Substrate

Nutrient-rich required

Feeds from

Roots

Fertilizer needs

High

Colors

Green

Feeding & breeding

Propagation

Plantlets

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Care guide

Overview

Long, ovoid leaves with prominent veins radiate from a central crown into a substantial upright rosette, forming a green backdrop for large tanks. It grows fast on root feeding, adapting to low through high light, and spreads plantlets from its leaves and side shoots. Suited to spacious background planting away from smaller neighbors it could shade out.

Care

A hardy Amazon sword that adapts to a wide range of lighting from low to high, though moderate to high light with CO2 supplementation produces the fastest, fullest growth. It forms a substantial upright rosette of long, veined leaves and needs generous space, since its foliage can shade out smaller neighboring plants if kept in a crowded layout. Established specimens tolerate typical community aquarium parameters well and are considered one of the more forgiving large swords for less experienced growers.

Planting & trimming

Remove any wool or gel packing from the roots before planting and bury the crown in a nutrient-rich substrate, keeping the base of the rosette at the substrate surface rather than burying it. Give it ample spacing from other plants since mature leaves spread wide and can overshadow smaller specimens. Periodic removal of the oldest outer leaves and side shoots keeps the plant compact and encourages fresh center growth.

Fertilizing

This plant draws most of its nutrition through its root system, so a nutrient-rich substrate or regular root tab dosing is important for healthy growth. Iron deficiency can show up as pale or yellowing new leaves, so an iron-rich fertilizer or substrate additive helps maintain deep green coloration. Liquid fertilization can supplement but does not replace root feeding for this heavy root feeder.

Propagation

Propagates readily through adventitious plantlets that form on the leaves or via side shoots produced at the base of the rosette. These plantlets can be separated once they have developed a few roots and small leaves, then replanted directly into substrate. Flower stalks produced when grown emersed can also generate plantlets along their length.

Problems

Sudden changes in water chemistry or a hard transition after purchase can trigger melt and rotting of older leaves, so acclimation should be gradual. Algae can accumulate on older, slower-growing leaves if lighting or nutrient balance is off, and removing these leaves helps redirect energy to new growth. Trimming aging outer leaves and side shoots also keeps the rosette tidy and prevents overshading of the rest of the aquascape.

Sources

1. Echinodorus inpai Aquatic Plant Care | Atlarium
2. Echinodorus Impai | Live Aquatic Amazon Sword Plant – Glass Aqua
3. Echinodorus Impai - Buce Plant
4. Echinodorus impaii - AQUADIP

More Swords

Echinodorus HarbichEchinodorus Horemanii Red SwordEchinodorus Major/MartiiEchinodorus MuricatusEchinodorus Parviflorus