Epic Aquatics Eleocharis vivipara (Long-hair grass)

Eleocharis vivipara is the taller variant of the well recognized Dwarf Hairgrass. This plant is really like an aquatic grass, with thin stalks growing from roots that spread horizontally by sending our runners. Due to its tall height, this plant makes a stunning background plant when grown in large clusters. High lighting and Co2 injection is not always necessary to grow hair grass but it will definitely increase the growth speed and thickness of the foreground. Simply separate larger mats into small portions and plant each an inch or so apart half way into the substrate. After several weeks, the plant will send our runners all around and a lush foreground of grass can be created.

Eleocharis vivipara (Long-hair grass) has a special place among its related species, primarily because of its method of propagation. It does not propagate by runners like Eleocharis parvula or Eleocharis acicularis. Instead, propagation is done by formation of plantlets on the surface of the leaves, in a way similar to propagation of the ferns. New plantlets don’t produce roots for a long time, thus giving the impression that the stem of Eleocharis vivipara is divided into several leaves. This feature is of particular value for aquascaping. But later, when roots are already developed and visible, the plant will no longer look nice. Therefore, Eleocharis vivipara requires a special care.

Care for Eleocharis vivipara has its features in terms of trimming and planting. The planting is difficult because the bush of Eleocharis vivipara is often made of dense cluster of its plantlets. You can press this cluster to the substrate, but in this case many of the bushes will remain unrooted. In the future, roots of these unrooted bushes will grow above the substrate becoming more and more visible. It’s better, therefore, to separate all the young bushes and plant them in the substrate so that all roots are buried in the substrate.