Eleocharis 'Mini'

Eleocharis 'Mini' is a much shorter form of the well-known dwarf hairgrass. Its thin, needle-like, bright green leaves stay only 3–5 cm tall, so unlike dwarf hairgrass it gives a neat lawn look without frequent trimming. It spreads by underground runners, but its spreading rate is slower than regular hairgrass. With strong light and CO₂ the carpet closes noticeably faster; it survives in aquariums without CO₂, but spreading can take months.

• Divide the clump from the nursery pot into small, rooted bunches.
• Plant the bunches with tweezers 1–2 cm apart and 1 cm deep in a fine-grained substrate; dense planting helps the carpet close faster.
• It also does well with the dry start method.

• Light: Medium; it spreads faster under strong light.
• CO₂: Not required, but clearly beneficial.
• Fertilizer: A nutrient-rich substrate and root tabs.
• Trimming: Usually not needed; old brown leaves are replaced over time.