Echinodorus Big Bear

Green above water, red below it. Echinodorus 'Big Bear' is grown emersed in strong green foliage, then turns rusty red to deep crimson within days of going under — one of the more dramatic transitions in the genus, on a large rosette that reaches two feet. In the trade since 1995.

What You'll Receive

• Sold as emerged bare-root plants, bunched plants, or potted plants
• Bare-root plants | approx. 1-2 loose, bare-root plants
• Bunched plants | approx. 1-2 rooted plants bundle with foam and plant's weight
• Potted plants | approx. 1-2 rooted plants potted with rockwool

Plant Profile

• Common name — Big Bear Sword
• Scientific name — Echinodorus 'Big Bear'
• Origin — Cultivated hybrid; the genus is native to South America
• Placement — Background
• Mature height — 16-24 inches
• Growth rate — Fast

Care

• Difficulty — Beginner, provided you feed the roots
• Light — Medium
• CO₂ — Not required
• Water — 68-82°F, pH 6.5-7.5
• Substrate — Required. Heavy root feeder — root tabs or aquasoil under the crown.
• Growth habit — Amphibious rosette; also grows emersed
• Propagation — Adventitious plantlets on aerial floral stalks

Grower's Notes

• It arrives green. That is correct. Nursery plants are grown above water, where the leaves are plain green. The red appears on submerged growth within days to a couple of weeks. If your plant looks nothing like the photograph on arrival, it has not been mis-shipped — it has not converted yet.
• Buy it for a big tank. At 16-24 inches and fast-growing by sword standards, Big Bear will dominate anything under 40 gallons. That vigor is the appeal in a large aquarium and the problem in a small one.
• Feed it at the roots. A fast, heavy root feeder in inert gravel exhausts what little is there and then yellows. Root tabs or aquasoil are not optional at this size.
• Plant the crown at substrate level, never below, in at least three inches of substrate. A buried crown rots from the center.
• It propagates from floral stalks, not runners. A settled plant sends a tall stalk carrying plantlets. Leave each attached until it has four or five leaves and its own roots, then cut it free.

Want to go deeper? Read our complete Amazon Sword (Echinodorus) Care Guide.

Notes

Disclaimer: Pictures are not the actual plants you will receive, but a sample representation. Unless specific, we don't guarantee aquatic plants will be free of pests, and pesticides, grow emerged, or submerge.

Never release aquarium plants into natural waterways.

At a glance

• Free shipping on orders of $150 or more (after discounts) within the contiguous United States, by USPS.
• Free thermal protection is included with every shipment, all year round.
• Processing: most orders leave us within 1 to 2 business days. Tracking is emailed when your order ships.
• USPS (2 to 5 business days) ships Monday through Saturday.
• UPS 2nd Day Air® ships Monday through Wednesday. Order by Tuesday at 6:00 AM Pacific Time for same-week delivery.
• UPS Next Day Air® ships Monday through Thursday. Order by Wednesday at 6:00 AM Pacific Time for same-week delivery.
• Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and military addresses ship by USPS at a flat rate shown at checkout.
• Weather holds: during extreme heat or cold we may hold live orders until it's safe to ship.
• We ship within the United States only.

Please bring live plants indoors and unpack them the day they arrive. Every live order is covered by our 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee.

The complete rules, including lost packages and address issues, are in our Shipping Policy. If anything conflicts, that policy applies.

Every live order is backed by our 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee. If a plant arrives dead, we'll make it right.

How it works

• Tell us within 24 hours of the delivery time on your tracking.
• Send photos of the affected items in their original, unopened packaging, plus a photo of the shipping label, to hello@aquariumplantsfactory.com with your order number.
• We'll make it right with a replacement, store credit or refund for the affected item.

Good to know

• Some melting or yellowing as plants adjust from greenhouse to aquarium life is normal. They regrow from healthy roots and rhizomes.
• Please bring your package indoors and unpack it the day it arrives.
• Free promotional items and shipping charges are not covered.

The complete rules, including what's covered and what voids the guarantee, are in our Returns, Refunds & Live Arrival Guarantee. If anything conflicts, that policy applies.

Please review your state's regulations on restricted plants, as we are committed to not shipping plants that are restricted in your area. Do not release any plants into the wild or waterways, as this can harm local ecosystems by introducing invasive species.

Your cooperation in protecting the environment is appreciated. For continuously updated information, refer to the USDA State Noxious Weed list here.

Thank you for your responsible commitment to environmental preservation.