Selaginella Indonesia
Plant Profile
Selaginella Indonesia, commonly known as Blue Spikemoss or Spring Blue Spikemoss, is a trailing lycophyte featuring delicate scale-like foliage with a distinct blue-green iridescence. A reliable pick for emersed setups, its cool metallic hue stands out cleanly against dark soil, damp lava rock, and deep green mosses across the floor or along the moist shoreline of a paludarium. Although often compared to true mosses or miniature ferns, it is a primitive creeping plant that stays low, rarely topping 3 inches in height while it spreads.
Key Features & Notes
- Delicate scale foliage displays an iridescent blue-green sheen under indirect lighting.
- Forms a soft groundcover alongside other humidity-loving plants in terrariums or vivariums
- Prefers high ambient humidity and damp, well-aerated soil to avoid stem dieback.
Care & Planting Instructions
- Prep the plant by removing it from the pot and clearing all rockwool from the roots.
- Press trailing stem portions gently onto a moist, well-draining tropical substrate mix of bark, sphagnum moss, and perlite across the foreground floor.
- Provide low to medium indirect light; direct light exposure can scorch the fronds and dry out the tips.
- Maintain humidity above 75% while ensuring the soil remains aerated and damp; yellowing leaves typically indicate waterlogged, anaerobic soil.
- Trim wandering stem tips with sharp shears to control spread and encourage denser branching across the ground.
- Selaginella Indonesia are terrestrial plants, and being submerged will result in the death of the plants.
Quick Facts
Listed information should be treated as general guidelines only. Team Buce Plant encourages you to do thorough research to ensure healthy growth!
| Attribute | Specification |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Selaginella sp. 'Indonesia' |
| Common Name(s) | Blue Spikemoss, Peacock Spikemoss, Spring Blue Spikemoss |
| Family | Selaginellaceae |
| Plant Type | Creeping Lycophyte / Spikemoss |
| Care Difficulty | Easy |
| Light Requirement | Low to Medium (Indirect / Partial Shade) |
| Submersion Suitability | Emersed Only (Not for full submersion) |
| Placement / Usage | Foreground Carpet, Terrarium Floor, Paludarium Shoreline |
| Height / Size | 2"–3" (5–7.5 cm) |
| Growth Rate | Moderate to Fast |
| Humidity Requirement | High (> 75% RH) |
| Propagation Method | Stem Cuttings / Division |
| Origin | Southeast Asia (Indonesia) |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can Selaginella Indonesia survive in a closed terrarium?
Yes. It thrives in enclosed glass containers where high humidity keeps its fine trailing stems from drying out and crisping.
2. Why are the stems on my Selaginella turning yellow or browning?
Yellowing foliage usually points to waterlogged, soggy substrate, while dry brown tips typically indicate intense direct lighting or low ambient humidity.
3. How do you propagate Selaginella Indonesia?
Snip a trailing stem cutting with visible root nodes and press it flat against moist sphagnum moss or damp tropical substrate under high humidity until it roots.