🌿 All About Helanthium tenellum 'Broad Leaf' – Growow TC Plant

Helanthium tenellum 'Broad Leaf' is a variant of the popular pygmy chain sword, featuring wider, ribbon-like leaves compared to the standard or ‘micro’ type. It offers a grassy, flowing look in the foreground or midground of a planted aquarium, perfect for creating natural meadows or soft transitions from hardscape to background plants.

Delivered in a Growow Tissue Culture (TC) cup, it guarantees a pest-free, algae-free, healthy start suitable for both beginner and experienced aquascapers.

🔍 Quick Overview

• Scientific Name: Helanthium tenellum 'Broad Leaf'

• Common Name: Broad Leaf Chain Sword

• Family: Alismataceae

• Type: Rosette, grass-like carpeting plant

• Origin: North America (cultivar form)

🌱 Plant Characteristics

• Height: 5–15 cm

• Leaf Shape: Ribbon-like, broader than standard tenellum

• Color: Light to medium green (reddish tones under high light)

• Growth Habit: Spreads via runners

• Growth Rate: Moderate to fast

💧 Tank Requirements

• Lighting: Medium to high

• CO₂: Recommended for healthy and vibrant growth

• Substrate: Nutrient-rich (aquasoil or root tabs)

• Water Parameters:

  • pH: 6.0–7.5

  • Temperature: 20–28°C

  • Hardness: Soft to medium

• Placement: Foreground to midground

🧪 Growow Tissue Culture Benefits

• 100% sterile — no algae, snails, or pathogens

• Ready to portion and plant immediately

• Grows quickly once established

• Shrimp and sensitive species safe

🌟 Why Choose H. tenellum 'Broad Leaf'?

• Offers a more textured, dynamic appearance than finer-leaved varieties

• Great for larger aquariums where micro types may look too small

• Works beautifully in Nature-style, Dutch, and Jungle scapes

• Can also be trimmed and shaped for specific layout aesthetics

🧠 Aquascaping Tips

• Plant clumps spaced a few centimeters apart

• Trim leaves occasionally to encourage denser growth

• Use to create transitional flow between hardscape and background plants

• Combine with:

  • Staurogyne repens (for mid-height layering)

  • Cryptocoryne wendtii green (for contrast)

  • Rotala rotundifolia green (as soft background)

💡 Pro Tip: Under high lighting and CO₂, leaves may develop reddish-bronze hues, adding subtle depth to your scape.