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Selaginella

Live Spikemoss For Terrariums & Vivariums

About Selaginella

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About Our Selaginella

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About Selaginella

Selaginella grown for bioactive terrariums

Selaginella safe for animals and vivariums

General Selaginella Info
Selaginella is a mostly tropical genus thought to contain over 700 species. Their unique appearance typically presents in a creeping or rising pattern with branching stems and flat-growing leaves. Color, size, and growth pattern vary between species, and there are a bunch of popular options to choose from which are available in the terrarium plant hobby. These primitive plants are frequently referred to as spikemoss or clubmoss, although they aren't "spikey", a member of any "club", and they aren't technically moss... :-)

Although there are a handful of drought tolerant Selaginella, we specialize in species from mostly humid and/or tropical regions. As a houseplant, most of the species we carry typically do best with bright indirect light, plenty of moisture, good airflow, and a lightly acidic soil/substrate.

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About Our Selaginella

Live selaginella plants for bio-active terrariums

Live selaginella plants for bio-active vivariums

How We Grow Our Selaginella
Growing animal-safe Selaginella on a (small) commercial scale is a rewarding challenge for our team, and we've spent each year since 2009 improving on the previous year's efforts. We've developed a few proprietary tricks to ensure yields & quality stay high while straying far from the typical (pesticide-heavy) commercial production procedures for these plants. Without giving too much info away, we've custom tailored our Selaginella propagation cells to provide each species with it's ideal conditions for growth. Depending on the specific species' grow cell, humidity ranges anywhere from 65-90% R/H, PAR levels range from 50-200µMol/M²S at plant level, and each features some form of scheduled air exchange. Once established, the little Selaginella plants are removed from growth cells, placed on our typical plant racks, and grow-out from there. Available plants are very well established (typically 2-5 months old) at the time of shipping. The available plants were grown on our own blend of peat-heavy (acidic) organic potting soil, and the plants are sold-off before any supplemental nutrients (fertilizer) are required. Mother plants (which are propagated from every couple months) are fed a heavily diluted blend of balanced organic nutrients every 3-6 months to keep them thriving. (Selaginella plants grown in a live vivarium will not generally require additional fertilization!) We're proud of the Selaginella we've got available, and we're confident you'll love what you receive!

Pesticide free Selaginella for Reptiles and Amphibians

Growing Selaginella Plants In A Bioactive Terrarium / Live Vivarium
In a terrarium/vivarium environment, higher levels of humidity seems to be critically important, along with a fair amount of airflow. Different species have different terrarium lighting requirements, so keep an eye on each plant's description for more info on that end. Species like kraussiana, uncinata, erythropus, and kraussiana 'Brownii' all do best when planted as a ground-cover plant. Species like emmeliana, flabellata, kraussiana 'variegata', and plana have a more ascendant growth pattern which does best when allowed to grow up & onto a surface. (We work with plenty more species too, but that info covers the most popular species we grow!) Certain species are ultra sensitive to bright lights, while others will thrive in the brightest conditions. Selaginella have a broad range of ideal growing conditions, so please be sure to check out each plant's description to see our recommendations.

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Plant Size Info

Potted Plants:

Plant nurseries roughly categorize their plants by pot size, and a plant is made available once it has mostly filled out it's container. Generally speaking, a 4in potted plant is roughly twice the size of a 3in pot, and a 3in potted plant is typically twice the size of a 2in pot. Needless to say, we do our best to offer big & healthy plants which were categorized honestly, and are representative of the photos we've got listed on the site. Every potted plant we sell is shipped bare root, and the root ball of the plant is carefully wrapped in paper towels before it's placed back into it's cleaned pot for shipping. From there, it's wrapped in clean brown packing paper and labeled with it's species before shipping.

Live Mats:

Healthy Background Plants For Terrariums

We're proud to offer a brand new way to order plants, and we're loving the results so far. Our Live Mats are grown with plenty of light & the ideal amount of moisture required to form a dense mat. Before shipping, each section is gently separated from it's sealed container, rinsed free of excess potting soil, and carefully placed in a partially inflated airtight bag. Depending on the specific plant, live mats can planted terrestrially or attached to a background to grow epiphytically. These are exceptionally dense portions of plants, so a little can go a long way!

Rooted Portions:

Some plants we grow are offered in rooted portions, which are slightly smaller portions than would typically be included in a 3in pot. The length and overall portion size depends on the species being offered, but these do include a portion of the root system for easy planting & fast acclimation. When it comes time to ship, we'll carefully separate the portion from it's mother plant, rinse the roots free of potting soil, and carefully wrap the roots in a ball of moist paper towels. From there, the plant is wrapped in clean brown packing paper and labeled with it's species before shipping.

Clippings:

Clippings are the smallest size portion of what we offer. Depending on the species, clippings may or may not include small attached roots. Plants we sell as clippings are typically epiphytic in nature, meaning they'll grow without soil on the surface of another plant (or wood decor, backgrounds, etc). The difficulty in planting clippings depends entirely on the species, so don't hesitate to ask before ordering if you are curious. When it comes time to ship, we carefully clean, wrap, and seal our clippings in partially filled bags to ensure the safest transit possible. Like everything else we sell, these are individually labeled with ID.

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Selaginella emmeliana

Club Moss

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This beautiful & delicate looking species features a more upright growth pattern than some of the other Selaginella species we work with. As a houseplant we recommend keeping this plant in mildly acidic soil in an area which is partially shaded or receives a little indirect sunlight. Soil must be kept moist, and we've had the best luck by misting the leaves every couple days. In a terrarium environment, this species does great with plenty of humidity. We recommend planting it near a taller hardscape feature like wood decor or a background, since it will complement this plant's upward growth habit. Immature growth is a little stiffer than the adult flowing leaf structures. The plant pictured is growing in a 3in pot.

▾ General Plant Info ▾
Difficulty	Adult Size	USDA Zone	Endemic Region(s)
Easy	6-9in	10-11	South America
Lighting	Soil pH	Nutrients	Water
Partial shade	5.5-6.5	Mild, balanced	Keep moist, don't over-water
▾ Vivarium Specific Plant Info ▾
Vivarium Lighting	Vivarium Substrate	Vivarium Maintenance	Vivarium Placement
Low/Medium (Any Lighting Kit)	ABG, V1, or V2 (Any Substrate Kit)	Semi-Infrequent Expect To Trim Bi-Monthly	Terrestrial / Will grow upward (See VC101's Plant Section For Tips!)

USDA Zone ratings are listed on the conservative side. To learn more, visit the Plant Hardiness Zone Map. (External Link)
Nutrient data listed for houseplant care only. Additional nutrients are not typically required in properly designed live vivaria.

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$6.99/ea
3in Pot

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$5.59/ea
3in Pot

$9.99/ea
4in Pot

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We don't have any of this plant ready to ship immediately, but we're expecting some to grow out soon. If ordered today, we'll reserve the first (and usually largest) plants from the batch, and you can expect it to ship within 7-12 business days. Please do not purchase this plant if you'd rather not work around this longer processing schedule. Note: If enough people reserve this plant, it may sell out before ever becoming publicly available.

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Selaginella erythropus

Red Club Moss

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A fairly slow growing plant that's a little more difficult to grow than other Selaginella we carry. The tops of each leaf are a very deep green and the bottoms are red, giving the plant it's "red club moss" common name. This plant is not tolerant of any period of dryness, and absolutely must be kept moist at all times to thrive. As a houseplant, this species prefers to be kept in low levels of light, and we've had the best luck giving it a quick mist-down from time to time in addition to keeping it's soil moist at all times. In an enclosed terrarium environment, this plant will thrive in high levels of humidity with a fair amount of airflow. Lower levels of lighting (as low as 15-25µMol/M²S PAR at plant-level) do perfectly well for this species, and we've had luck keeping it in shaded areas of the enclosures we build. The plant pictured is growing in a 4in pot.

▾ General Plant Info ▾
Difficulty	Adult Size	USDA Zone	Endemic Region(s)
Semi-Difficult	2-3in tall + trailing	10	A widely distributed species (Central America, South America, Africa)
Lighting	Soil pH	Nutrients	Water
Partial to full shade	5.5-6.5	Mild, balanced	Keep moist at all times
▾ Vivarium Specific Plant Info ▾
Vivarium Lighting	Vivarium Substrate	Vivarium Maintenance	Vivarium Placement
Very low (Any Lighting Kit)	ABG, V1, or V2 (Any Substrate Kit)	Semi-Infrequent Expect To Trim Quarterly	Terrestrial, Creeping / Plant low in shaded spot (See VC101's Plant Section For Tips!)

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Selaginella kraussiana

Golden Spike Moss

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Golden Spike Moss is our best selling Selaginella, and is an especially attractive ground cover plant. For it's size, this is also one of the least expensive options we grow! This plant's low-growing, creeping growth can turn toward the electric-green/yellow spectrum in ideal conditions, earning the plant it's common name. As a houseplant, it can be grown in any typical pot or hanger with an acidic soil mix which is kept moist at all times. We've had success growing it in lighting conditions ranging from filtered sun to bright shade. In an enclosed terrarium environment, this species truly shines. It thrives with higher levels of humidity (70%+), medium-to-low levels of light, and a fair amount of airflow. While it can be grown on a background, we typically recommend keeping this one towards the substrate level where it will spread over low-lying decor items if things are misted fairly frequently. The plant pictured is growing in a 4in pot.

▾ General Plant Info ▾
Difficulty	Adult Size	USDA Zone	Endemic Region(s)
Average	1-2.5in tall + creeping	10	South Africa
Lighting	Soil pH	Nutrients	Water
Partial shade	5.5-6.5	Mild, balanced	Keep moist, don't over-water
▾ Vivarium Specific Plant Info ▾
Vivarium Lighting	Vivarium Substrate	Vivarium Maintenance	Vivarium Placement
Medium-Low (Any Lighting Kit)	ABG, V1, or V2 (Any Substrate Kit)	Semi-Frequent Expect To Trim Bi-Monthly	Terrestrial, Creeping / Plant low & allow to spread (See VC101's Plant Section For Tips!)

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$4.79/ea
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3in Pot 4in Pot

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3in Pot

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$4.79/ea
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3in Pot 4in Pot

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Selaginella kraussiana 'Brownii'

Mounding Spikemoss

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This cultivar of Selaginella kraussiana grows in compact little mounds before slowly spreading outward. In ideal conditions the tips can turn golden-yellow, while the green coloration is a little easier to achieve. In our experience, this plant does best in humid terrariums where it grows slower than typical kraussiana. It tends to "mind it's own business" by not spreading nearly as quickly. As a houseplant, it can be a little more tricky, but we'd recommend an acidic soil mix which is kept moist at all times. We've had success growing it in lighting conditions ranging from filtered sun to bright shade. It thrives with higher levels of humidity (70%+), medium-to-low levels of light, and a fair amount of airflow. We recommend keeping this one towards the substrate level for best results. Please keep in mind that this less common Selaginella will be smaller than most of the others that we sell, since it's growth habit won't allow it to grow over the sides of our 3in and 4in pots.

▾ General Plant Info ▾
Difficulty	Adult Size	USDA Zone	Endemic Region(s)
Average	1-2in tall + creeping	10	South Africa
Lighting	Soil pH	Nutrients	Water
Partial shade	5.5-6.5	Mild, balanced	Keep moist, don't over-water
▾ Vivarium Specific Plant Info ▾
Vivarium Lighting	Vivarium Substrate	Vivarium Maintenance	Vivarium Placement
Medium-Low (Any Lighting Kit)	ABG, V1, or V2 (Any Substrate Kit)	Semi-Frequent Expect To Trim Bi-Monthly	Terrestrial / Plant low on substrate level (See VC101's Plant Section For Tips!)

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$8.99/ea
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4in Pot

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4in Pot

3in Pot 4in Pot

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3in Pot

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$7.19/ea
3in Pot

3in Pot 4in Pot

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4in Pot

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Selaginella kraussiana 'Variegatus'

Frosty Fern / Frosty Spikemoss

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In ideal conditions, this plant's leaf tips will turn white to earn it's "Frosty Fern" common name. As a houseplant, this species does best in any basic pot, and we recommend keeping it in a water-catching bowl if possible. Like most Selaginella, this one doesn't do well when allowed to dry out, so keeping it moist at all times is the best practice to follow. In a live vivarium environment, this quick-growing species readily climbs upward on moist backgrounds & decor items. It thrives in higher humidity (70% R/H) but will tolerate less if it's misted fairly often. This plant can get a little carried away if left on it's own in ideal conditions, so expect some pruning from time to time. Depending on your goal, it can be pruned to either a climbing or "bushy" appearance. Keep lighting on the lower-end of things, ensure it stays moist, and this plant will do very well. The plant pictured is growing in a 4in pot.

▾ General Plant Info ▾
Difficulty	Adult Size	USDA Zone	Endemic Region(s)
Average	10-12in	10	South Africa
Lighting	Soil pH	Nutrients	Water
Partial shade	5.5-6.5	Mild, balanced	Keep moist, don't over-water
▾ Vivarium Specific Plant Info ▾
Vivarium Lighting	Vivarium Substrate	Vivarium Maintenance	Vivarium Placement
Medium-Low (Any Lighting Kit)	ABG, V1, or V2 (Any Substrate Kit)	Frequent Expect To Trim Monthly	Terrestrial, Upright / Plant low & allow to spread (See VC101's Plant Section For Tips!)

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Selaginella uncinata

Rainbow Spike Moss / Peacock Moss

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A trailing species of Selaginella which displays a beautiful blue/green-metallic coloration in ideal conditions. Pictures don't do this one justice! Rainbow Spike Moss is a little more tricky than some of the more common species, since it requires high humidity, plenty of moisture, and relatively low levels of light to thrive. We actually have the best luck propagating this species under some of our lowest-output lighting conditions, since the blue coloration is lost under brighter areas. As a houseplant we recommend keeping it in partial shade, in a slightly acidic potting soil which drains quickly but stays moist. In an enclosure, we recommend planting it in a shaded spot on the substrate-level, where it will slowly establish itself & spread over moist surroundings. Alternatively, it can also be planted high to trail downward if there's a suitable location available. The plant pictured left is one of our mother plants in a 6in pot. The plant pictured right is growing in a 4in pot.

▾ General Plant Info ▾
Difficulty	Adult Size	USDA Zone	Endemic Region(s)
Slightly Difficult	1-2in high + trailing	10	Asia (China)
Lighting	Soil pH	Nutrients	Water
Partial to full shade	5.5-6.5	Mild, balanced	Keep moist at all times
▾ Vivarium Specific Plant Info ▾
Vivarium Lighting	Vivarium Substrate	Vivarium Maintenance	Vivarium Placement
Very Low (Any Lighting Kit)	ABG, V1, or V2 (Any Substrate Kit)	Semi-Infrequent Expect To Trim Bi-Monthly	Terrestrial or Trailing / Plant low to spread, high to trail (See VC101's Plant Section For Tips!)

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Plant Pack: Selaginella Assortment

A grower's choice assortment of healthy Selaginella plants

Selaginella Pack For Terrariums - The Best Selaginella Plants For Terrariums

Images for illustrative purposes only. Your mix may vary, and could include plants not currently listed.

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Our terrarium plant packs feature some of our best prices on assortments of high quality Selaginella plants. The plants we include are likely to be found on this page, and in the "Sold Out/Reserved" section below. Unlisted terrarium appropriate varieties are less likely, but may be included depending on our availability. They make an awesome sampler or starter plant pack for terrariums, vivariums, or even to start a collection. All plants in this assortment will be 3in pots. There will be no repeat species included in the 3 packs, and we'll do our best to include a great looking variety. A repeat plant (or two) may be included if 5-10+ plants are ordered. All NEHERP plant packs require a minimum average of 55% relative humidity.

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All Plants Below Are Sold Out Or Reserved

Only a small fraction of the plants we grow are available at any given time. The majority of plants we sell are shipped in our discounted Vivarium Plant Packs, and we often reserve "low availability" plants for those kits.
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