Navarre is on the money. If you want to keep them in the more attractive juvenile state you can remove the more arial leaves as they form but a better way is to dig them up and cut half the roots off then replant. They are an atractive plant in an open tank with good light. Bob Ward has some beauties at Redwood Aquatics. The verigation is a lot stronger in the emersed growth. Too trifid-like for me.

Might have to get rid of mine after seeing this :lol:

Especially if i upgraade to a 45cm tank :lol:

if you cut back each emerging leaf the plant should grow a smaller one to replace it...making the sword plant smaller overall gradually.

UPDATE: Have taken photo's of the stalk that grew out of my tank and was about 1.5metres with the fowering plantlets.

Early days

WOW thats cool!

I want one!

WOW thats cool!

I want one!

a flower or a plant?

I have some plantlets if you want a couple.

Zabman...Have PM'd you

I have a sword but I want it to flower!

maybe I will get a new one for my 4ft tank!

If the Marbled Queen Sword you've got is growing ok it will eventually shoot a flower stalk out, hang in there

What a lovely sight, thanks for sharing your pics, good on you Mrs Greenthumbs you can certainly grow plants

Don't forget that they can become a very large plant, most of which is emersed.

Don't forget that they can become a very large plant, most of which is emersed.

thats why mine has never flowered! I keep cutting it off

Don't forget that they can become a very large plant, most of which is emersed.

Would they grow in a outside pond?

Not in Christchurch. They will grow in a glasshouse.

I think I've got one of these plants, but not the marbled version. I'm thinking of getting rid of it as the leaves are all growing out of the tank.

Echinodorus cordifolius