Micro Sword / Lilaeopsis Novaezelandiae

Plant Profile

Common Name: Microsword, Copragrass

Micro Sword is an exceptional choice for beginners wanting to tackle an underwater carpet for the very first time. Growing in thick, beautifully arching tufts, this hardy species can transform your foreground into a wild, lush field when planted in dense groups. It is incredibly versatile and works just as well as a compact midground or background filler in nano aquariums, thanks to its dense growth profile. It maps out your substrate by pushing out horizontal runners. 

Key Features & Benefits

• A beginner-friendly species that is highly forgiving for first-time carpet growers.
• Achieve a wild, natural meadow look in your tank with its unique, arching tufts of green.
• Enjoy a versatile profile that works as a foreground carpet or scales up beautifully into a nano midground backdrop.

Care & Planting Instructions

• To get that iconic, tight, short-statured grass lawn look, simply pair it with high lighting and a steady supply of CO2.
• Give this plant room to spread naturally, as it grows by sending out runners horizontally throughout the substrate.
• Keep the growth short and compact by maintaining high light and CO2 parameters, creating a manicured underwater lawn of green.
• Propagate simply like other foreground plants by cutting out portions from the horizontal shoots and replanting the clumps that you cut out.
• Master the basics by learning how to properly grow aquarium carpet plants to ensure your new layout fills in quickly, evenly, and stays free of algae.

Quick Facts

Listed information should be treated as general guidelines only. We encourage you to do thorough research to ensure healthy growth!

• Family Name: Apiaceae
• Origin: South America
• Height: 1–3 inches
• Placement: Foreground to Midground
• pH: 6.5–7.5
• Temperature: 68–80°F
• Care Level: Easy to Moderate
• Light Requirements: Medium to High
• CO2: Recommended
• Propagation: Cut runners/stems and replant
• Growth Rate: Moderate to Fast