Helanthium Tenellum (Echinodorus Tenellus) Vitro Culture

A grass carpet that spreads itself. Helanthium tenellum — Dwarf Chain Sword — sends out runners across the foreground and drops new plantlets along them, forming a fine grassy lawn without CO₂. It carpets where hairgrass sulks and Dwarf Baby Tears fails. This is the sterile Vitro Culture® (tissue culture) format.

What You’ll Receive

Choose your preferred pack size:

1 Bag

• One sealed 4-inch Vitro Culture® bag
• Contains approximately 3–4 healthy plant clumps

5 Bags

• Five sealed 4-inch Vitro Culture® bags
• Each bag contains approximately 3–4 healthy plant clumps

All bags are algae-free, snail-free, and pest-free, and ready to rinse, separate, and plant directly into your aquarium.

Plant Profile

• Common name — Dwarf Chain Sword
• Scientific name — Helanthium tenellum
• Also known as — Echinodorus tenellus, Pygmy Chain Sword
• Origin — The Americas
• Placement — Foreground to low midground
• Shipped size — 4-inch bag, approx. 3–4 clumps
• Mature height — 2–4 in
• Suits — 10 gallons and up
• Growth rate — Medium

Care

• Difficulty — Beginner
• Light — Medium. Brighter light keeps it low and encourages runners
• CO₂ — Recommended, not required
• Water — 68–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5
• Substrate — Required. Root feeder — nutrient substrate or root tabs
• Growth habit — Amphibious. Also grows emersed
• Propagation — Runners

Grower’s Notes

• Why two scientific names? This plant spent decades as Echinodorus tenellus before being moved to Helanthium. Both names are still in circulation; nothing about the care changed with the reclassification.
• It is a Helanthium, not an Echinodorus, and that matters for buying: Helanthium are small carpeting runners, Echinodorus are large rosette centerpieces. Read our Helanthium care guide, not the sword guide.
• Feed at the roots. Runners slow noticeably without root tabs or a nutrient substrate.
• Plant the clumps an inch or two apart and let the runners close the gaps. Planting solid wastes stock.
• Some transition melt after planting is normal as it converts from emersed growth. The runners start after that. Also available as rooted plants.

Notes

• Some transition melt is normal as the plant adapts from laboratory-grown conditions to submerged growth. With stable water parameters and patience, new submerged leaves will emerge quickly.
• 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.