Glossostigma Elatinoides Vitro Culture

Glossostigma elatinoides is the carpet that defined the Iwagumi look — leaves the size of a grain of rice, spreading flat across the substrate in a dense green mat. It is also the carpet that punishes shortcuts. Given the light and CO₂ it asks for, nothing covers ground faster.

What You'll Receive

One 4-inch sealed Vitro Culture® bag containing healthy Glossostigma elatinoides plantlets—ready to rinse, acclimate, and plant in your aquarium.

Plant Profile

• Common name — Glosso
• Scientific name — Glossostigma elatinoides
• Also known as — Glosso, mud mat
• Origin — New Zealand and southeastern Australia
• Placement — Foreground
• Mature height — 0.5-1 inch
• Growth rate — Fast

Care

• Difficulty — Advanced
• Light — High
• CO₂ — Required
• Water — 68-78°F, pH 6.0-7.0
• Substrate — Nutrient-rich soil, or inert sand with root tabs
• Growth habit — Amphibious creeper, root feeder
• Propagation — Runners; trim and replant to even out coverage

Grower's Notes

• Light intensity decides whether it carpets or climbs. Under high light Glosso lies flat and runs sideways. Under weak light it stretches upward on bare stems reaching for the surface, and the carpet never closes. This single variable causes most Glosso failures.
• Plant in small portions, not clumps. Separate the tissue culture mat into pinches of two or three plantlets and set them roughly an inch apart. Dense clumps shade their own bases and rot from underneath.
• Trim the carpet before it layers. Once coverage closes, Glosso grows over itself. The buried lower layer dies, loses grip, and the mat lifts off the substrate in sheets. Cut it back to a low, thin layer every few weeks.
• Tissue culture melt is expected. Emersed-grown plantlets shed their first set of leaves as they convert to submersed growth. Keep CO₂ and light steady rather than adjusting them, and new flat growth follows within two weeks.
• It is a heavy root feeder. On inert sand or gravel, Glosso pales and thins no matter how good the lighting is. Root tabs beneath the planting area are not optional.

Want to go deeper? Read our complete guide to preparing tissue culture plants.

Notes

• Photos are for reference only. Plant size, density, and color may vary depending on lighting and aquarium conditions. Glossostigma may melt during transition from tissue culture but will regrow under stable care.
• 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.