Selaginella uncinata (offshoot)

• Origin: China, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan
  
• Care: Easy / Medium / Advanced
• Suitable as a houseplant?: Yes / Limited / No
• Suitable locations: Terrarium
  
• Special features: One of the easiest iridescent plants to care for!

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In a revision by Zhou and Zang (2023), the large and highly diverse genus Selaginella was split into several genera. According to this revision, the new name for this plant is now Didiclis uncinata . We will continue to use the old name for the time being, until the new names are confirmed by other authors.

Selaginella uncinata , also known as "peacock moss fern," originates from East Asia and is found primarily in southern China, Taiwan, and southern Japan. This distribution indicates that it can tolerate significantly cooler temperatures than other (mostly tropical) Selaginella species . However, it also thrives in warm tropical terrariums, mainly because they provide the high humidity it requires.

In low light , S. uncinata displays a strong, blue iridescence. As with other iridescent Selaginella , this color does not originate from iridoplasts (like those used in begonias) but from thin-film interference. This is why the blue color seems to disappear when the leaves get wet. You can read more about the origin and function of iridescence in plants in this blog post .

It grows as a dense ground cover and also climbs if it can grow up on a constantly moist substrate.

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You will receive a densely grown piece approximately 10x10cm in size, without a pot! Simply place it in a terrarium in a humid spot, cover the numerous root supports (rhizophores) with a little substrate, and growth will continue.

Please note: The small twigs of this species break very easily. Even with very good packaging, some pieces will likely break off after shipping. Unfortunately, this cannot be prevented, but it doesn't significantly harm the plant. After an acclimatization period, this species continues to grow quite quickly. Such damage is not grounds for a complaint.