Ruffle Sword
Ruffle Sword
Ruffle Sword is a large, ornamental South American sword plant producing dramatically ruffled, deeply wavy-margined leaves in bright green — one of the most visually distinctive large sword forms available. The bold ruffling creates rich textural complexity and natural light-catching variation across each leaf, making Ruffle Sword one of the most botanically ornate background sword plants in the hobby.
Care tip: Ruffle Sword is a root feeder that benefits greatly from a nutrient-rich substrate or regular root tabs. Maintain temperatures of 72–82°F and pH 6.0–7.5. CO₂ is recommended for this variety.
Growing to 12 to 20 inches, Ruffle Sword requires a spacious background position where its full, ruffled rosette can develop without crowding. The dramatic ruffling is most fully expressed in healthy, well-established plants with consistent substrate nutrition — inadequate nutrition produces smaller, less dramatically ruffled leaves that fail to achieve the full ornamental character this species is capable of.
This moderate plant grows in moderate lighting with CO₂ recommended. Temperatures between 72 and 82°F and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5 provide comfortable conditions. Nutrient-rich substrate and regular root tab feeding are particularly important for this ornamental species — the dramatic ruffled leaf form requires strong nutritional support to develop fully. CO₂ improves growth rate and leaf size.
In the aquascape, Ruffle Sword creates a dramatically textured background focal point whose ruffled leaves add extraordinary visual depth and botanical character to larger planted aquariums. A mature, well-grown Ruffle Sword in a featured background position becomes one of the most impressive and eye-catching plants in the entire composition. It pairs beautifully with fine-leaved stem plants where the leaf texture contrast is most striking.
Ruffle Sword is a magnificent ornamental sword for aquarists with larger aquariums who want the most texturally dramatic large sword plant available. Its ruffled leaves and impressive nature make it a standout background centerpiece of genuine botanical grandeur.
Care & Specifications
| Difficulty | Moderate |
| Placement | Background |
| Max Height | 12–20 inches |
| Light Level | Moderate |
| Temperature | 72–82°F |
| pH | 6.0–7.5 |
| CO2 Needs | Recommended |
| Origin | South America |
| Notes | A large, ornamental sword plant producing dramatically ruffled, deeply wavy-margined leaves in bright green — one of the most visually distinctive large sword forms available. The bold ruffling creates rich textural complexity in the background. Requires adequate space and a nutrient-rich substrate to develop its full, impressive rosette. |
