Echinodorus Red Diamond UNS Tissue Culture
Plant Profile
Bred in Ukraine as a striking hybrid cross between Echinodorus horemanii 'Red' and Echinodorus barthii, Echinodorus 'Red Diamond' delivers rich ruby-red intensity to planted tanks. Under moderate to high lighting, newly emerging leaves unfurl in deep ruby, crimson, and reddish-purple tones that mature into an attractive dark olive green with distinct red veining. Unlike massive sword varieties that easily overwhelm smaller displays, 'Red Diamond' stays at a manageable medium scale, making it a stellar pick for midground zones or a cozy background accent in nano-to-medium aquariums.
Tissue culture cups ensure your aquascape gets a super clean starting point. Lab-grown and fully sterile, it arrives without pests, snails, duckweed, or any unwanted algae. Itβs the go-to option for anyone who wants peace of mind when adding fresh greenery to a carefully maintained setup.
Key Features & Notes
- Compact hybrid rosette features bold ruby-red and dark crimson foliage on new emerging leaves.
- Hardy, medium-scale species that brings intense jewel-toned contrast to midground centerpiece zones.
Care & Planting Instructions
- Prep the plant by carefully removing the plantlets from the cup and rinsing away all sterile nutrient gel under lukewarm, dechlorinated water before mounting.
- Plant the roots deeply into your aquarium soil, keeping the central crown resting just above the substrate line to prevent rot.
- All Echinodorus are heavy root feeders that rely on rich substrate nutrition; placing root tabs near the base supports steady, healthy leaf development.
- Provide moderate to high lighting; while CO2 injection isn't strictly required, good lighting will enhance its deep ruby-red colors. See our guide to growing red aquarium plants.
- Maintain stable water parameters to prevent leaf shedding during the initial transition period.
- Sword plants propagate through side shoots off of their leaves, which can be trimmed and replanted into the substrate. To control the size of your sword plant, you can remove the side shoots and older leaves.
Quick Facts
Listed information should be treated as general guidelines only. Team Buce Plant encourages you to do thorough research to ensure healthy growth!
| Attribute | Specification |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Echinodorus 'Red Diamond' |
| Common Name(s) | Red Diamond Sword, Echinodorus Red Diamond |
| Family | Alismataceae |
| Plant Type / Taxonomy | Rosette plant / Cultivar Hybrid |
| Care Difficulty | Easy |
| Light Requirement | Moderate to High |
| CO2 Requirement | Not required (Recommended for best color) |
| Placement / Usage | Midground Centerpiece / Background (in small tanks) |
| Height / Size | 6β12+ inches |
| Growth Rate | Slow to Moderate |
| Water Parameters | pH 6.0β7.5 |
| Propagation Method | Separate new plantlets from the root crown or adventitious shoots |
| Origin | Ukraine (Cultivated hybrid: E. horemanii 'Red' x E. barthii) |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the advantages of choosing a UNS Tissue Culture for Echinodorus Red Diamond?
UNS Tissue Culture plants are grown in sterile, lab-controlled in vitro cups. This guarantees that no pest snails, duckweed, hitchhikers, algae spores, or pesticides are introduced into your aquarium.
2. How do I clean and prepare the tissue culture gel before planting?
Remove the plant clump from the cup and gently rinse off the clear nutrient gel under room-temperature water. You can then gently separate the rosette clump into individual plantlets using your fingers or tweezers before planting them into the substrate.
3. How do I maintain and enhance the deep ruby-red color on Echinodorus 'Red Diamond'?
Provide moderate-to-high lighting directly above the plant and supplement the substrate with iron-rich root tabs. High light levels and carbon supplementation encourage new inner leaves to develop rich crimson and ruby tones rather than fading to dark green.