Where can I find elodea and/or chara?

Elodea and chara are aquatic plants that can typically be found at stores that sell pet fish. Oftentimes, if you tell them you are wanting it for educational purposes, they will give you a small piece for free or for a small charge. If you can’t find this exact plant, don’t worry. Simply let the pet store know you need a small piece of a plant similar to elodea for a biology class.

Since the experiment is for photosynthesis, almost any aquatic plant will work. It might be easiest to speak to someone at the store who is familiar with aquatic plants and tell them you are doing a lab activity with a microscope. Let them know you need to get a plant with a very thin cuticle so that the cells are visible. (The cuticle is the protective film covering on the leaves.) I would hope they would be able to provide you with something comparable.

Also to note: Elodea is sometimes referred to as Anarchis, so they might only know it by that name. But, in some places, it is considered an invasive species, so they may not have it depending on where you are.

Some aquatic plant names that are coming up as a possible replacement are Ludwigia, Cabomba (Carolina Fanwort), Myriophyllum (water milfoil), Ceratophyllum (hornwort), or Sagittaria.