A slender, flexible ligh-green colored plant, the stalklike main axis has short shoots that in turn have whorls of 1-6 leaves. But these leaves are actually lateral shoots which are either bifurcate or trifurcate. Will adapt well to the aquarium conditions, it needs low ligh environment, because under bright lights it often overgrown with algae.

Nitella flexilis is generally used in coldwater tanks, but higher temperatures are also tolerated, but when grown under the latter conditions, the shoots are very thin and weak. Planted shhots will take root, but their brittle nature makes them better kept floated. Lateral shoots help form dense drifting mats that serve as a spawning substrate for many fish species, and a subsequent shelter for young fishes.

Nitella flexilis is a freshwater algae that is used as a model organism for its large cell size and relative ease of cultivation in the laboratory.