Acorus gramineus - Japanese Rush

Environment Required
• Substrate: Plain washed gravel
• Lighting: Not critical
• pH value: 6.8-7.5
• Hardness: Not critical
• Temperature: 15-22 degree C (59-70°F)

Height: Up to 30cm (12in).
Distribution: Eastern Asia.
Characteristics: A slow-growing plant with handsome dark green spiky leaves in fan-shaped clumps. The roots are very tough and wiry.
Aquarium use: This moisture-loving plant is suitable for growing submerged in the aquarium. It thrives at the lower end of the recommended temperature range but does reasonably well in tropical aquariums.
Propagation: Divide the plants by splitting the rhizome.
Varieties: Although the type species is available, the following varieties are more extensively cultivated: Acorus gramineusvar. variegatus, which grows to the same height as the type species but with leaves strikingly striped in yellow. Acorus gramineus var. pussilus. a dwarf form that grows up to 10cm (4in) high and is suitable for foreground planting. Acorus gramineus var. intermedius, a robust form reaching 45cm (18in) high.
An excellent middleground plant for both cool and tropical aquariums.