Eriocaulon Cinereum UNS Tissue Culture
Plant Profile
Eriocaulon Cinereum is a highly sought-after, rare pipewort native to shallow waters across Asia. Known for its distinct, spiky rosette of needle-like leaves radiating from a central crown, it looks just like a tiny, bright-green sea urchin sitting on your substrate. Erio Cinereum grows in tidy, geometric tufts that reach up to 3 inches in height, serving as a focal point in the foreground and creating architectural contrast against surrounding carpet plants and hardscape bases.
Tissue Culture cups ensure your aquascape gets a super clean starting point. Lab‑grown and fully sterile, it arrives without pests, snails, duckweed, or any unwanted algae. It’s the go‑to option for anyone who wants peace of mind when adding fresh greenery to a carefully maintained setup.
Key Features & Benefits
- Spiky, hedge-hog rosette structure delivers a distinct sea-urchin aesthetic in the foreground.
- Compact growth form provides a focal accent that breaks up uniform lawn carpets.
Care & Planting Instructions
-
Thoroughly wash away the nutrient gel from the roots with your fingers under cool water before dividing and planting.
- Use a dry start method or Wabi Kusa setup to allow roots to establish firmly before flooding the aquarium.
- Provide high-intensity lighting and pressurized CO2 injection alongside soft, slightly acidic water conditions (GH 2–5) to support vigorous growth.
- Maintain stable water parameters and good water clarity to encourage steady root development and prevent leaf melting during transition.
- To propagate, wait for mature crowns to naturally split at the base, then use a sharp, sterile blade to separate the daughter rosettes and replant them directly into your aquarium soil to expand the foreground group.
- Master the basics by learning how to properly grow tissue culture plants to ensure your layout establishes smoothly.
Quick Facts
Listed information should be treated as general guidelines only. Team Buce Plant encourages you to do thorough research to ensure healthy growth!
| Attribute | Specification |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Eriocaulon cinereum |
| Common Name(s) | Erio Cinereum, Eriocaulon Polaris, Sea Urchin Plant |
| Family | Eriocaulaceae |
| Plant Type / Taxonomy | Rosette / Foreground Accent |
| Care Difficulty | Difficult |
| Light Requirement | High |
| CO2 Requirement | Required |
| Placement / Usage | Foreground Accent |
| Height / Size | 1-3 inches |
| Growth Rate | Slow |
| Water Parameters | pH 5.5 – 6.8 | Temperature 68°F – 80°F (20°C – 27°C) |
| Propagation Method | Splitting mature daughter crowns |
| Origin | Asia |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I plant Eriocaulon Cinereum tissue culture?
Rinse away the nutrient gel under cool water, separate the cup into individual rosettes, and use pinsettes to push the extensive root base deep into nutrient-rich aquasoil so the crown rests cleanly on the soil surface.
2. Why is Eriocaulon Cinereum considered a difficult species to keep?
Erio Cinereum demands soft, acidic water, high light, reliable pressurized CO2, and a nutrient-heavy substrate. In hard water or low-CO2 setups, the delicate needle-like leaves quickly turn white or melt.
3. What should I do if my Eriocaulon Cinereum starts sending up a flower spike?
Eriocaulon species often direct energy away from leaf production when flowering under stress. Snipping off emerging flower spikes near the crown base encourages the plant to channel energy back into horizontal crown splitting and leaf growth.