Echinodorus barthii is a hybrid sword plant with distinctive rich red-brown foliage that deepens in colour with stronger lighting. New leaves emerge with a striking reddish tone before maturing to a darker bronze-green, creating a plant with visual depth and warmth rarely matched among Echinodorus. It is one of the most colourful sword plants available without specialist conditions.

It performs best in medium to bright light and benefits considerably from CO2 supplementation, which promotes richer colouration and more compact, vigorous growth. A nutrient-rich substrate or regular root tabs are important — Echinodorus are heavy root feeders. It grows in a range of water parameters and temperatures typical of tropical set-ups.

The XL version supplies a more established plant with a larger rosette and better-developed root system, giving a stronger impact from the moment it goes in. Best suited to aquariums of 150 litres and above as a bold background specimen. Remove from the pot, clean the roots, and plant the crown at substrate level without burying the growing point.