# Red Sphagnum



## Panther (Feb 23, 2014)

Just wanted to show some of the red sphagnum (Acutifolia) we've been cultivating. It's red, like really, really red! We've been growing the majority outdoors, but I've set up some trials with a couple different species to see how well it fares in a vivarium. S. bartlettianum is native to the southeast, so it may actually fare decently well in a viv. I guess we'll see!

Pictured is my favorite, S. rubellum.


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## kblack3 (Mar 9, 2015)

That is amazing. Keep us in the loop hope it fares well


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## toaddrool (Feb 5, 2013)

Nice moss. How does it do in a vivarium long term? Will it spore?


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## oldlady25715 (Nov 17, 2007)

Would add nice coloration to a viv. Pretty cool.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

This species could work differently but all the red sphagnums I've tried turn green under vivarium condition due to insufficient light intensity. If there is sufficient light intensity sphagnum does fine under terrarium conditions but in my experience it gets crowded out over by other mosses over time. 
There are still some growing sphagnum on this tree stump (please excuse the dirty glass) but most of it has been crowded out. 



Some comments 

Ed


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## boabab95 (Nov 5, 2009)

This is also my experience with most red Sphagnum I've tried. The only time I got it even close to turning red was when it was right against the glass top, 2'' away from 3x T5 HO bulbs. And in that spot, I was more worried about not letting it dry out.

Have to admit though, that it some NICE Sphagnum 



Ed said:


> This species could work differently but all the red sphagnums I've tried turn green under vivarium condition due to insufficient light intensity. If there is sufficient light intensity sphagnum does fine under terrarium conditions but in my experience it gets crowded out over by other mosses over time.
> There are still some growing sphagnum on this tree stump (please excuse the dirty glass) but most of it has been crowded out.
> 
> 
> ...


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

This plant would be neat in a dedicated acid bog planting with other sphagnums, carnivorous plants and other small bog species, such as cranberries. A lot of those plants seem to adapt OK to wet terrarium conditions. Many of them are evergreen. At the local botanical garden they have an indoor display that is just a 20-gallon fish tank illuminated with medium-bright lighting.and with sphagnum along with a number of other bog plants. The setup is nothing special, but they are all doing real well. 

I imagine it would be harder to maintain these kinds of plants in a dart frog setup because they would tend to be shaded by taller foliage and the lighting might just be too far away. The extra nutrients from livestock feeding would also just be deadly for bog plants.


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

I'd be interested in trying some if you decide to let some go.... I have some ideas


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

I'll echo the same as Ed and Jeremy, I've only had the stuff at the very tip top of the tank stay red but most of it just stays green. Pretty gorgeous stuff though. Would be cool to see used on some high elevation, bright light type displays.


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