Propagating Amazon Swords

[dmpfishlover]

I planted Amazon Swords in my aquarium two weeks ago, and one of the plants has already sent up a stalk from the middle and has produced three baby plants. I know that you can cut the baby plants off and plant them in the substrate, but not sure how developed they should be before I do that. Do the baby plants start to produce roots while still attached to the Mother plant? Or do they not develop roots until planted? So far there is no sign of roots on the baby plants, but each one has several leaves. Do I need to wait until they send out roots before cutting them off and planting them? Or are they ready to be planted now?

 

[Byron]

The adventitious plants (as the daughter plantlets are termed) will assimilate nutrients from the water through their leaves and once the white roots appear through the roots as well. I would leave the plantlets until you have roots about 1 inch or more (3-4 cm), and leaves at that stage should be double or triple the root length. You will find two individual plants per node, and you remove them be gently pulling them down the inflorescence toward the base. They usually come off easily. Or you can leave them attached and cut the inflorescence close and use that to help anchor the plants. You can also leave them as they are, they will continue to develop, but I have always found that being closer to the surface they more readily develop problem algae, especially black brush/beard, if left.

 

[dmpfishlover]

The adventitious plants (as the daughter plantlets are termed) will assimilate nutrients from the water through their leaves and once the white roots appear through the roots as well. I would leave the plantlets until you have roots about 1 inch or more (3-4 cm), and leaves at that stage should be double or triple the root length. You will find two individual plants per node, and you remove them be gently pulling them down the inflorescence toward the base. They usually come off easily. Or you can leave them attached and cut the inflorescence close and use that to help anchor the plants. You can also leave them as they are, they will continue to develop, but I have always found that being closer to the surface they more readily develop problem algae, especially black brush/beard, if left.

Thank you so much! I will wait until they have roots and remove and plant them then.

 

[Byron]

Thank you so much! I will wait until they have roots and remove and plant them then.

When you do, as I said you will find two distinct plants per node. You can separate these and plant them individually, or keep them together. The latter will result in a bushier plant, obviously, which is sometimes useful. They should attain the size of the parent plant, but not always, as conditions in the aquarium can influence development.

 

[dmpfishlover]

When you do, as I said you will find two distinct plants per node. You can separate these and plant them individually, or keep them together. The latter will result in a bushier plant, obviously, which is sometimes useful. They should attain the size of the parent plant, but not always, as conditions in the aquarium can influence development.

Thanks! Since there are three nodes, I may separate some of the duplicate plants from one or two of the nodes, and keep the other duplicate plants together, so I have a mixture of singles and double(s) (If that makes sense?) Thanks for the information! I am excited that my plants are doing well enough to be creating adventitious plants.

 

[Byron]

Thanks! Since there are three nodes, I may separate some of the duplicate plants from one or two of the nodes, and keep the other duplicate plants together, so I have a mixture of singles and double(s) (If that makes sense?) Thanks for the information! I am excited that my plants are doing well enough to be creating adventitious plants.

Substrate fertilizer tabs really encourage good growth, I use the Seachem Flourish Tabs for my swords. The larger sword species are heavy feeders.

 

[dmpfishlover]

Substrate fertilizer tabs really encourage good growth, I use the Seachem Flourish Tabs for my swords. The larger sword species are heavy feeders.

I already have Seachem Flourish Tabs in the substrate at the base of each Sword plant. Thanks again for all of your advice, it is greatly appreciated!

 

[Byron]

I already have Seachem Flourish Tabs in the substrate at the base of each Sword plant. Thanks again for all of your advice, it is greatly appreciated!

Excellent, that is one very good reason why you are seeing this growth expansion. With good nutrition, sword plants will produce one, two, sometimes even three inflorescences at a time, and I have had this occur two and even three times in a year.