# Selaginella



## Hilizanne (Apr 19, 2016)

I have just planted selaginella(4 different types) in a few tanks. I have not been successful in keeping this plant alive in the past.

Question #1: I have spaghum covering the floor of the tank. In order for the selaginella to spread, should I remove some of the spaghum from around it?

#2: Should I make sure leaf litter is not covering the plants? I think that is what killed it before, but I cannot be sure. I have been reading the peacock selaginella does not like direct light but other types do? 

I really want these plants to keep living because they are awesome. I got them from Black Jungle. I am trying to quit messing with these new builds and just let them grow.

Thanks 




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## Hilizanne (Apr 19, 2016)

Well it’s been a week and no responses so I will go ahead and answer my own question. I assume either no one knows the answer or no one cares. Or everyone else thinks the answer is obvious.

I have moved the spaghum away from the edges of the Selaginella so that it attaches itself to the dirt and over time secures the dirt so there is less dirt going into my small pond when the frogs are introduced, which was one of my goals with the placement. The plants are growing like weeds and I have already had to remove a few plants from out of their way, so this seems like the right choice. They do spread on top of the spaghum easily after which it would be possible to move small clumps of it around the tank. I may try to propagate some other plants in this way in the future. I wish there was a way to train their growth direction as a few seem to be headed more towards the wall instead of the center of the tank. 

I spent hours trying to make sure someone else had not already answered this question before I posted (so I would not get jumped on for asking a question that had been answered many times before) and it has not been discussed before. I hope this information helps someone else in my predicament in the future. 

This forum has been and will continue to be a valuable resource in improving my frog husbandry skills, as well as my green thumb/ Vivarium planting techniques.


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## Cakers (Sep 10, 2017)

I also do not have any luck with this plant in vivariums. I think what it is they do not like water on it but perhaps just humid climate. Mine all perished.


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## kimcmich (Jan 17, 2016)

I don't grow Selaginella in my vivs any longer because it is too successful and tends to overtop all its neighbors - but my primary experience is from years of growing it in un-misted, but very humid paludaria. In that situation, Selaginella grew rambunctiously in all directions and needing regular pruning to control.

Where I have seen them in habitat, they prefer very moist areas that have good air circulation. That would suggest thy prefer to minimize the time moisture stands on their foliage even as they clearly want to be in areas where moisture is otherwise abundant.


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

I was able to come up with these in about 30 seconds. Sorry you had to spend hours searching...
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/plants/262593-molding-selaginella.html
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/plants/261802-selaginella.html
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/plants/239890-selaginella-kraussiana-your-growing-tips.html
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/plants/138577-selaginella-care.html
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/plants/124482-im-selaginella-serial-killer.html
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/plants/112002-selaginella-species-can-have-feet-wet.html
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/plants/72396-selaginella-thread.html
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/plants/76671-selaginella-erythropus-cultivation.html
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/plants/72312-need-input-selaginella-kraussiana-keepers-killers.html
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/plants/59019-selaginella-kraussiana-plant-ok.html

Hint: I used the "advanced search" function, and sorted entries based on threads that contained "Selaginella" in the title.


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## Dan79 (May 12, 2018)

It took mine over a year to spread. It’s growing up the corkbark adjacent to it and intermingling with my java moss which is now establishing as an emergent. It seems to do best with moist not wet substrate and direct lighting.


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## Hilizanne (Apr 19, 2016)

Dane said:


> I was able to come up with these in about 30 seconds. Sorry you had to spend hours searching...
> http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/plants/262593-molding-selaginella.html
> http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/plants/261802-selaginella.html
> http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/plants/239890-selaginella-kraussiana-your-growing-tips.html
> ...


Yes, for me the forum format is not user friendly at all. That is one reason I looked so long. I was really surprised that no one had discussed it before. I found about 3-4 entries. It could be because I am not on here regularly that I never really learn my way around. Thanks


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## Hilizanne (Apr 19, 2016)

kimcmich said:


> I don't grow Selaginella in my vivs any longer because it is too successful and tends to overtop all its neighbors - but my primary experience is from years of growing it in un-misted, but very humid paludaria. In that situation, Selaginella grew rambunctiously in all directions and needing regular pruning to control.
> 
> Where I have seen them in habitat, they prefer very moist areas that have good air circulation. That would suggest thy prefer to minimize the time moisture stands on their foliage even as they clearly want to be in areas where moisture is otherwise abundant.


Yes I am afraid I will have to prune it. It is doing well. I am actually trying to direct it by spiking it down the direction I want it to go. I am removing the moss from around it, but I still don’t know about leaf litter. Seems like it would prevent growth by light blocking. I will look at the other links.


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## pookiebuttons (Jan 15, 2009)

I purchased and planted mine about 3 weeks ago, and it's not doing well. The temp and humidity are on par, but afraid maybe the soil is too moist? Or as others have said it doesn't like being misted directly? It's a shame, the plant was beautiful. I hate to give up, but not sure I want to waste money on attempting to grow it again.


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## SoloSK71 (Dec 25, 2018)

A couple of things. Selaginella does not tolerate bleach treatment or temperature changes very well. In addition it needs to acclimate to changes in increased lighting slowly. Don’t use cold water to mist. Provide nutrient rich soil to root in. Keep the humidity above 80%, even better above 85%

Solo


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