# Selaginella wildenowii



## MELLOWROO421 (Feb 21, 2007)

Ok, I got this plant from petsmart in a plastic tube. It also says it is called a peacock fern. I have tried a search both here and on google, but I cant seem to get a straight answer so I'm gonna ask the pros! I have a few questions about it. First, I read some places it is an aquatic plant, other places NOT to submerse in water. 2nd, I keep killing them. I'm on my 3rd plant now. they wither up and die very quickly once I plant them. Should I not be trying to use them in a viv? The temps in the viv are between 68 at night and 76-77 in the day with around 85-99% humidity.
3rd, how big is it gonna get if I can keep from killing it?
Has anybody used one in there viv and if so what am I doing wrong?


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## harrywitmore (Feb 9, 2004)

First of all I think you may have spelled it incorrectly if it is indeed _Selaginella willdenovii_. Here are some pictures of this plant from Google. Notice the irredescence.

http://images.google.com/images?svn...result&cd=1&q=Selaginella+willdenovii&spell=1

Most Selaginella do very well in vivs as long as the humidity is high. This particular plant is pretty tough but will shrivel when humidity is low but will revive itself once it gets water and humidity. It is a large grower also.


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## defaced (May 23, 2005)

This is being added to my list of sags to get.


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## Quaz (Nov 13, 2005)

I just purchased one at a nursery and I haven't put it into any tanks yet. The lady at the nursery really liked these plants because of there color changing in different lights. I'm looking to use it as a partial ground cover


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## harrywitmore (Feb 9, 2004)

Be carefull not to confuse this plant with _S. uncinata_. They both have similar irredescence but _S. willdenovii_ would only be considered a ground cover in the garden since it grows upright like a fern. _S. uncinata_ grows low to the ground and reaches about 2" in height and is much more commonly available..

Both plants lose irredescence in bright light.


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## MELLOWROO421 (Feb 21, 2007)

Thanks for all the replies. The packing says "Selaginella wildenowii" It's a "TOP FIN" live plant found in the reptile aisle at Petsmart. I love the way it looks so I tried it in a viv a few months ago, but it shriveled up almost immediately. I bought another one shortly after and it was ok for a day or 2, but I think I might have killed it by getting it wet when I misted the viv. The viv I tried them on was a 180 gal I put together with no knowledge of anything. (Thank god for Dendroboard!  ) Maybe the humidity was too low?? Do you guys think it would be ok to put in a 10 gal with 1 powder blue tinc? also, the packaging says for terrariums, not to rinse the gel it comes planted in and just plant the whole cup into the viv. I was kinda thinking I would rather rinse it and plant it straight into my substrate (eco-earth). Anybody have a comment on it?
again, thanks for all the replies.[/b]


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## harrywitmore (Feb 9, 2004)

Take some pictures. I have never seen them packaged this way and have no expereince with them. If you are up to it I would like for you to get one and send it to me so I can see what it takes to grow it. I will be happy to reemburse you for the trouble. I have both _S. willdenovii _and _uncinata _so I will be able to get a positive ID. PM me if you are willing.


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## Grassypeak (Jun 14, 2005)

Anyone ever try Selaginella lepidophylla, the ressurection plant?


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## harrywitmore (Feb 9, 2004)

I have tried that Selaginella many times. The ones you get in the packs are dead as far as I know. It will take up water and turn green but it will soon mold and rot. I have never been able to find a live one to try.


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## CTM75 (Aug 10, 2005)

*I have one...*

It doesnt seem to mind where its at as long as its moist... I pieced it out and grew it in a few different spots in different vivs to get a higher success rate and see what it preffered....all lived but one piece and it already looked too far gone. Pics to follow. Chad

edit: ONE HINT THOUGH..LAY IT FLAT.....don't try to plant it...same with all Selaginellas in my opinion...

here you go...

































Here is a comparison pic of kraussiana....









And while were on Selaginellas..I lost this plant...I loved it...
S. erythropus (I believe)


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

*Selaginella wildenovii*

Or however the hell it is spelled...

Harry is right. While the culture of this plant is similar to S. uncinata, it grows much larger. If it is happy, it will quickly escape a 10 gal tank (kind of like that Ray Harryhause movie--you know, the one set in Italy, where the little creature from Venus quickly grows big enough to fight an elephant--remember the name, from 1957?) 

Seriously--S. wildenovii actually becomes a climber. It is too big for small tanks. As for it being aquatic: while selaginellas are not considered aquatic, I have seen uncinata grow into a water section, form different leaves, and then reemerse--go figger.

THIS IS INTERESTING: At the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, which is zone 7, they grow S. uncinata, kraussina and plana outdoors! They are covered with pine branches in the winter. They take on completely different morphs--as smaller rosettes rather than ramblers. The S. uncinata actually takes on a reddish tinge.


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## doncoyote (Apr 20, 2005)

*Re: Selaginella wildenovii*



Groundhog said:


> Or however the hell it is spelled...
> If it is happy, it will quickly escape a 10 gal tank (kind of like that Ray Harryhause movie--you know, the one set in Italy, where the little creature from Venus quickly grows big enough to fight an elephant--remember the name, from 1957?)


20,000 Miles to Earth - I watched it (again) about a month ago. Ray Harryhausen is the real thing...


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

*You Da Man!*

Don C:

Of course you meant "20 million miles to Earth"--but you still da man :lol: 

The point is, Selaginella wildenovii grows THAT fast and gets THAT big--in nature, it climbs trees! 

For a small tank, better to track down S. kraussina or uncinata. If you want to stay neotropical, try S. erythropus. It does not grow as fast and is not cheap, but its discolor lea--I mean, "fronds" are very attractive.


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## doncoyote (Apr 20, 2005)

- um, yeah - dropped some zeros somehow...


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## MELLOWROO421 (Feb 21, 2007)

> Take some pictures. I have never seen them packaged this way and have no expereince with them. If you are up to it I would like for you to get one and send it to me so I can see what it takes to grow it. I will be happy to reemburse you for the trouble. I have both S. willdenovii and uncinata so I will be able to get a positive ID. PM me if you are willing.


Have you been able to identify it yet? I am still wondering if it is ok to use in my vivs. I have it in with my powder blues right now and it is actually still alive! :shock: Should it be placed on the floor instead of planting it like a tree to make it do better? Is it gonna get huge? I love the way it looks but if it is gonna take over everything else I should probably put it in something bigger than a 10 gal.


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## harrywitmore (Feb 9, 2004)

I noticed a few things from the Selaginella from Pet Smart. First, it had a great deal of rot in the tub. if you smelled the frond once they came out they smelled like they had soured. I rinsed them well. I place them flat on LFS in a sealed container. We will see how they do. I do not believe they are S willendovii but I think they are Selaginella martensii. I will need to do more study to determine this. Selaginella martensii gets fairly large but nothing like willendovii which gets very large and sends out long runners.


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