Dwarf Hairgrass

Want a grass lawn underwater? Dwarf Hairgrass spreads by runner into a fine, meadow-like carpet — the classic foreground for Iwagumi and nature-style layouts, and the plant most people picture when they imagine a carpeted tank.

You may know it as Eleocharis parvula. That is the trade name — see the note below.

What You’ll Receive

• Bare-root Plants | small clump portion, bare-root plants

Plant Profile

• Common name — Dwarf Hairgrass
• Scientific name — Eleocharis pusilla
• Also known as — Eleocharis parvula (misapplied trade name)
• Origin — Australia and New Zealand
• Placement — Foreground
• Shipped size — Small bare-root clump portion
• Mature height — 3–6 in
• Suits — 10 gallons and up
• Growth rate — Medium

Why two scientific names?

Dwarf Hairgrass has been sold as Eleocharis parvula in the aquarium trade for a very long time, and most hobbyists still know it by that name.

Eleocharis parvula is a real species — but it is a brackish water plant, not suited to freshwater aquariums. Almost everything sold in the hobby under that label is in fact Eleocharis pusilla, a freshwater species.

So the plant you receive is Eleocharis pusilla: the same Dwarf Hairgrass you have always bought, correctly named, and genuinely suited to a freshwater tank.

Care

• Difficulty — Intermediate
• Light — Medium to high. Light must reach the substrate for it to carpet rather than stretch
• CO₂ — Recommended, not required
• Water — 68–82°F · pH 6.0–7.5
• Substrate — Required. Root feeder — nutrient substrate or root tabs
• Growth habit — Amphibious. Dry start works well
• Propagation — Substrate runners

Grower’s Notes

• Split the clump into many small portions. Divide into groups of a few blades and plant them an inch apart. Runners only travel into open substrate, so a single lump takes months longer to fill a foreground than the same plant spread out.
• Keeping it alive is easy; carpeting it is not. That gap is why this is rated Intermediate. Survival needs little, but a dense low lawn needs strong light at substrate level and usually CO₂ — without both, expect a thin, stretched meadow.
• Light reaching the substrate is what decides carpet versus stretch. Shaded hairgrass grows long and thin instead of dense and low.
• Trim the carpet once established. Cutting it back encourages runner growth rather than height.
• Expect the emersed blades to melt back after planting. New growth comes from the runners, not the original blades.

Want the shorter version? See Dwarf Hairgrass 'Mini', which stays 1–2 in.

Want to go deeper? Read our complete Dwarf Hairgrass Care Guide.

Notes

• 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.