Selaginella — Creeping Moss / Spikemoss

Selaginella — Creeping Moss / Spikemoss

Selaginella (commonly called Creeping Moss or Spikemoss) is a lush, ground‑hugging tropical plant prized for its vibrant green colour, delicate texture, and ability to thrive in high‑humidity environments. Known for its soft, moss‑like appearance and creeping growth habit, Selaginella is a favourite for terrariums, paludariums, vivariums, and shaded indoor displays where a natural forest‑floor aesthetic is desired.

 Overview

Selaginella forms a dense carpet of finely divided foliage that spreads horizontally, creating a lush, living mat. Its fern‑like leaves stay bright green year‑round when kept moist, making it ideal for customers who want a low‑maintenance plant that delivers maximum visual impact. Because it naturally grows in humid forests, it adapts beautifully to enclosed environments and water‑feature setups.

Key Features

• Creeping growth — Spreads horizontally to form a soft, moss‑like carpet.

• High humidity tolerance — Perfect for terrariums, paludariums, and vivariums.

• Bright green foliage — Evergreen colour that stays vibrant year‑round.

• Soft texture — Adds a natural forest‑floor aesthetic to displays.

• Low maintenance — Easy to grow with consistent moisture and shade.

Can Selaginella Be Used in Paludariums or Ponds?

Yes — Selaginella is excellent for paludariums, but not suitable for ponds.

✔️ Suitable for

• Paludariums — Thrives in high humidity with moist substrate.

• Ripariums — Can grow near water with roots touching moisture.

• Terrariums — Ideal for closed or semi‑closed humid environments.

• Vivarium backgrounds — Creates lush, naturalistic ground cover.

❌ Not suitable for

• Full pond planting

• Submerged roots or crowns

• Constantly waterlogged soil

Practical guideline

• Keep roots moist,

• Keep crown above water,

• Provide high humidity and soft shade,

• Use sphagnum moss, forest‑floor substrate, or LECA.

Care Requirements (Bloemfontein‑friendly)

• Light — Medium to deep shade; avoid direct sun.

• Water — Keep consistently moist; never allow to dry out.

• Humidity — Very high humidity required; thrives near water features.

• Temperature — 15–28 °C; protect from frost.

• Soil — Moist, humus‑rich substrate with excellent water retention.