Hairgrass that goes up, not sideways. Eleocharis vivipara — Giant Hairgrass — grows long slender blades that sway in the current instead of carpeting the floor, and it propagates in an unusual way: baby plants form at the leaf tips rather than on runners. That's what vivipara means, and it's why this Eleocharis behaves nothing like the carpeting species.
What You’ll Receive
- Bare-root plants | loose, bare-root portion
- This type of Hairgrass will grow tall, perfect for background aquarium
Plant Profile
- Common name — Vivipara Hairgrass
- Scientific name — Eleocharis vivipara
- Also known as — Giant Hairgrass, Tall Hairgrass, Umbrella Hairgrass
- Origin — Southeastern United States
- Placement — Midground to background
- Shipped size — Loose bare-root portion, shorter than mature height
- Mature height — 6–12 in
- Suits — 10 gallons and up
- Growth rate — Medium
Care
- Difficulty — Beginner
- Light — Low to medium
- CO₂ — Not required
- Water — 68–82°F · pH 6.0–7.5
- Substrate — Required. Root feeder — nutrient substrate or root tabs
- Growth habit — Amphibious. Also grows emersed
- Propagation — Daughter plantlets at the leaf tips; also splits at the base
Grower’s Notes
- Don't buy this one for a carpet. Dwarf Hairgrass and Eleocharis mini spread by runners along the substrate. Vivipara grows upward and multiplies from its own leaf tips — you get a tall grassy stand, not a lawn.
- Harvest the tip plantlets. Cut them off once they have a few blades and roots, and plant them; that's how one portion becomes a stand.
- Feed at the roots. It draws most of its nutrition from the substrate, so root tabs matter more than liquid dosing.
- Trim the tops if it reaches too high — cut blades keep growing from the base.
- Separate the portion into small clumps before planting rather than sinking it as one mass; the clumps root faster.
Want to go deeper? Read our complete Dwarf Hairgrass (Eleocharis) 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.
Customers praised the giant hairgrass for arriving "healthy and abundant" with "excellent packaging." Many noted fast growth and spreading. One shopper mentioned leaves were "quite short," and another reported slight browning at roots from tight wrapping. Overall, customers loved the "beautiful healthy" portions at great prices.
- I received a really nice healthy portion at a great price.
- The giant hairgrass was beautiful healthy and abundant.
- It is filling in the back of my 37 gallon tall aquarium and I'm loving it so much.
P
Came in excellent condition! Great packaging and handling!
G
I’ve been ordering from these guys for so long. They offer affordable, healthy and beautiful plants 🌱 and they come very quickly in great condition and very well taken care of for transportation. I can’t say enough how amazing whoever runs and makes up this beautiful business but they have my complete loyalty if I ever need plants. All of my plants besides the amazon sword and Anubias nana petites, are all from this amazing business. My plants include Anacharis, Bacopa Caroliniana, Giant Hairgrass, Bucephalandra Sp. Wavy Green. 20/10 would recommended again
J
I've bought plants from a few places and this is the best place to get mature plants. The giant hairgrass was beautiful healthy and abundant. They still have a long journey to grow and fill out but look great already! The deal was great too! Thank you!!
E
I bought 5 bundles of this plant and they arrived promptly and in great condition. Very easy to unpackage to place in tank. They look great and I can’t wait to see how they grow.
n
Plants were healthy. Packaged well. Leaves were quite short almost like a tissue culture specimen.
s
The giant hairgrass was in my first order with APF and I absolutely love it! I received a really nice healthy portion at a great price.
C
I got my order today, Plants were amazingly packed for the long trip across the USA. I was concerned with the USPS being the carrier that I would get dead plants. The team at ADF made sure that did not happen! The plants where healthy and even showed new roots in transit. I am looking forward to my next order!
L
It wasn't as green as some of the other reviewers have said and was a little brown towards the roots, I'm suspecting from being tightly wrapped with lead anchors. BUT I have it planted now and it looks good so far, hopefully it bounces back!
H
Good portion, healthy plants.
S
It branches at the tips and spreads. Don't know if its my favorite plant because of that, but it's definitely healthy and strong growing!
B
I ordered these to replace the plants from a previous purchase from a competitor, who had incorrectly sold E. montevidensis as E. vivipara, and I wasn't familiar enough with the Eleocharis species to know that I had been scammed. After some research, I realized what I had didn't look like what I had expected to see in the aquascape, and so I yanked it out and replaced it with this. I'm thankful that there are places like Aquarium Plants Factory who know the importance of properly identifying correct species and selling them as such. As to the plants themselves, they were extremely healthy bunches, properly rolled up in a manner that makes for easy separating and planting. Highly recommended.
J
Everything I've bought from them exceeds expectations. The items were shipped the same day, well packed and arrived in perfect shape.
J
After trimming the giant hairgrass I got and getting it into my aquarium, I was thinking it would be a month or more before I noticed much growth. I was very wrong. It is filling in the back of my 37 gallon tall aquarium and I'm loving it so much. I've also been able to share some with 2 smaller tanks and I know it will fill out. Do beautiful!
A
Multiple plant types in order - everything arrived in excellent condition and doing well. highly recommend
T
Came healthy and well packed!!!!
M
I ordered a 5-pack and it was exactly what I had wanted. The order came much more quickly than I had imagined it would. The plants were in great condition, despite less-than-ideal shipping conditions where I live. Now I want more - will definitely order from APF again!
S
I received one bundle of plants wrapped in a lead strip. There were a lot of individuals plants and all looked healthy.
J
Looked very nice and packaged well. A good purchase experience.
L
Excellent condition.
J
It hasnt been planted in substrate yet, but growing well in the iso tank
B
This stuff lives!! Great grass. Just don't open the metal band. Just loosen it and let it be then pop it in the substrate. I opened mine and it went everywhere. Including the filter. But the stuff is still alive floating around everywhere!
v
how to plant hairgrass
Here’s a simplified guide to planting hairgrass in your aquarium:
Substrate: Use nutrient-rich aquarium soil or add root tabs to your gravel.
Planting: Gently push each hairgrass clump’s roots about 1–2 cm deep, without burying the top.
Light & Nutrients: Ensure good lighting. Adding CO₂ and liquid fertilizer can help it grow well.
Water Conditions: Keep the water between 68–82°F (20–28°C) with a neutral pH.
Maintenance: Trim it when needed to keep it neat and encourage spreading.
Enjoy your beautiful hairgrass carpet!
R
How tall does this plant grow? I have a pretty deep tank.
Eleocharis vivipara (Vietnam/umbrella hairgrass) is one of the taller hairgrass varieties - it typically grows anywhere from 8 to 20+ inches tall depending on lighting and CO2, and it's known for eventually reaching the surface and forming little plantlets at the tips of the blades when it does. That makes it a great choice for a deep tank, since it won't stay short like dwarf hairgrass varieties.
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