Selaginella lepidophylla

[UnstuckinTime]

I have one of these guys that I got as a present last christmas, and there is surprisingly little information on the internet on how to properly grow it.

I would like to keep it in its wet state and actively grow it throughout the summer, and "put it to sleep" as I head off to college again in the fall. Does anyone know if this is healthy for the plant? I sort of get the feeling that the species isn't use to such prolonged periods of moisture, but I'm hoping it will benefit from it.

Let me know what you think, thank you,
CJ

 

[Taliesin-DS]

Maybe you can find more info if you look for "resurrection plant"
That's what they're usually called.

 

[UnstuckinTime]

Maybe you can find more info if you look for "resurrection plant"
That's what they're usually called.

I have been, and I actually get more hits from vendors of the novelty this way, and they all use the same sound-bite-esque paragraph to describe it. They tend to push the fact that it "comes back from the dead" then how to grow it long term.

 

[SMcKenzie]

I have never known anyone who could successfully keep this plant alive once it has been totally dried out; all the dried specimens invariably die because they have no rhizomes, and I have a lot of experience keeping Selaginellas. Ditto for the mislabeled S. willdenowii often sold in plastic tubes at chain pet stores as aquarium plants(and they are NOT aquatic), which are actually S. krausiana, and will die once removed from those plastic tubes. If you cannot obtain a live, rooted, growing Selaginella, don't bother, because you will lose them.