Annadvn

I know that in natural environments amazon swords live above the water.

Can you take submersed amazon swords and turn them back into emersed plants?? If yes, how do you do this?

Anna

Butterfly

They have to grow up out of the water. In the wild they only grow out of the water part of the year But many companies that propagate aquarium plants do so emersed. That's why the leaves frequently fall off and come back different.
Carol

Nate McFin

You sure can. Just plant the sword in the substrate up to the rhzome but not covering it. Put a fertilizer tab under the plant and wait. The leaves that grow in will be a longer leaf unlike the other leaves which have more stem and then leaf. Thats all there is to it. Its really interesting to see the difference between the emersed and submersed growth. I ended up cutting the original growth off once the other leaves grew in as they looked a little ragged after awhile. The new growth looks great though.

NICE NINJA Butterfly! lol

djbrist

Agreeing with both Carol and Nate! Annadvn, I have 3 different swords in my 30g long (w/UGF) and one, Echinodorus bleheri I believe, is doing just this. For the last 8-10 weeks it has been sending longer stemmed leaves right up out of the water. I have taken the glass off to let them fully emerse. You can see some in the center of the tank, brhind the Banana plant that has also sent "pads" up.

here

As far as transplanting any plant grown submersed to an emersed environment, (if thats what you were asking?) I don't have any experience. But have fun with the plants, we all agree they are rewarding!

Dave

Butterfly

One of the plant companies that raise aquarium plants emersed is Tropica ( www.tropica.com ) their website is just awesome. Click on the open aquarium link on the right side of the page. ( those are swords growing out of the tank
Carol

Annadvn

So i can't take a submersed plant and turn it into a emersed plant with just roots in the water, i have to keep it submersed and just let the leaves grow up out of the water?

Cause i want to take the amazon swords and just keep the roots in the water and not the leaves, but the local plants around here are all grown submersed and i don't really want to order off the internet cause of shipping costs etc..

Anna

djbrist

I think like Nate said, you'd have to wait for the plant to do this on its own, with it's new emersed leaves. Taking time, I can't guess how long. It sounds like a good project. If they look like the ones Carol showed at Tropica, they could be gorgeous.

Dave

Nate McFin

I would try removing the plant and just submerging the roots in water. As the new leaves grow in they should be emersed. I would imagine the submersed leaves would wither but the new leaves should be fine. Let us know how it goes. It should be intweresting. If it works I may make a box in the back of my filter for a few that are growing a little to big in the tank. Post pics if you can!
Heck maybe I will give it a try with one of the baby swords.
Tropica also has some very good videos on youtube!