Helanthium tenellum

Helanthium tenellum (formerly Echinodorus tenellus sensu lato) is widespread across the Americas and has been a staple of the planted tank hobby for decades. It produces narrow, linear leaves from a compact rosette and spreads aggressively via stolons, making it one of the fastest-carpeting plants available. Its exceptional adaptability to water chemistry, temperature, and light conditions ensures success even in basic setups, and it is one of the few carpet plants that performs consistently without CO2 injection.