Not a true aquatic. Ophiopogon japonicus 'Nana' — Dwarf Mondo Grass — forms dense dark green grassy clumps for terrariums, vivariums and garden planting. It is sold as an aquarium ornament because it survives underwater for a few weeks, but it will decline and die if kept submerged beyond about a month. Buy it for a terrarium, not a tank.
What You’ll Receive
- Sold as loose Bare-root Plants, Bunched Plants, or Potted plants
- Bare-root plants | 1 rooted, loose plant
- Bunched plants | 1-2 rooted plants bundle with foam, and lead weight
- Potted plants | 1-2 rooted plants potted with net pot and rock wool
Plant Profile
- Common name — Dwarf Mondo Grass
- Scientific name — Ophiopogon japonicus 'Nana'
- Also known as — Ophiopogon japonicus 'Kyoto Dwarf', Dwarf Lilyturf
- True aquatic — No. Survives submerged a few weeks at most
- Origin — Japan and East Asia
- Placement — Terrarium, vivarium, paludarium margin or garden
- Shipped size — 1-2 rooted plants
- Mature height — 2–4 in
- Growth rate — Slow
Care
- Difficulty — Beginner in a terrarium
- Light — Low to moderate. Avoid direct intense lighting indoors
- CO₂ — Not required
- Humidity — Adapts to both high and low humidity
- Watering — Keep soil moist but never waterlogged; roots must not sit in standing water
- Substrate — Potting soil or terrarium mix
- Growth habit — Terrestrial rosette. Spreads by short runners
- Propagation — Division of the clump
Grower’s Notes
- Do not buy this as an aquarium plant. It is widely sold that way and it does stay green underwater for several weeks, which is long enough for the seller to be out of sight before it rots. In a terrarium it lives for years.
- Its dense clumping habit makes it a good ground cover for a closed terrarium or a Japanese-style planting.
- Keep the soil moist but drained. Standing water at the roots is what kills it fastest out of water.
- Divide the clump to propagate — each section with roots grows into a new plant.
- It tolerates cool conditions well, which makes it useful in an unheated vivarium where tropical plants sulk.
Notes
- Pictures are not the actual plants you will receive, but a sample representation. Unless specific, we don't guarantee plants will be free of pests or pesticides.
- 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.
Customers praised the plant's health and quality, with shoppers noting it's "healthy and beautiful." However, critical concerns include misleading product descriptions (not suitable for aquarium use despite expectations), order fulfillment issues with wrong items sent, and small plant portions requiring multiple orders for adequate coverage.
- The plant is perfect
- Healthy and beautiful
- Very pleased with my order, I will be a return customer for sure
S
It’s still alive, but I wish I’d known before I bought it that it wasn’t meant to be submerged because all the plants I ordered were submerged. After I received it I read it’s not meant to be submerged. I didn’t see that when I ordered it and I ordered 2. Maybe it should be put in a different section than the aquarium plants. But I gave it three stars because it’s still alive and I’ve had it survive a couple months.
N
Very pleased with my order, I will be a return customer for sure
M
The plant is perfect
J
Healthy and beautiful
C
Healthy
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