Selaginella willdenowii 'Variegata' (Peacock Fern)

• Origin: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand
  
• Care: Easy / Medium / Advanced
• Suitable as a houseplant?: Yes / Limited / No
• Suitable locations: Terrarium
  
• Special features: Extremely beautiful and rare variegated form!

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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 willdenowii . We will continue to use the old name for the time being, until the new names are confirmed by other authors.



Selaginella willdenowii , commonly known as "peacock moss fern," is neither a moss nor a fern, but belongs to a different, rather little-known group of spore-bearing plants, the clubmosses (Lycopodiopsida). It typically grows on steep, shady slopes in very damp locations, often near small streams. It is widespread in the tropical regions of Southeast Asia and is now even known as an invasive species from Central America.



S. willdenowii is a ground cover or climbing shrub that can grow up to 4 m tall (!) if it can support itself on other vegetation. Without such support, it will "only" reach about 1 m in height.

The main stems grow up to 5 mm thick and are covered with small, scale-like leaves. From the main stems, downward-pointing, colorless, and leafless shoots called rhizophores grow at regular intervals, often at the branching points. Roots form at their ends, anchoring the plant in the soil. Thinner stems branch out from the thick main stem into up to three progressively smaller substems, on which the tiny leaves, only about 2 to 4 mm in size, are attached. These are arranged very regularly, giving the plant its fern-like appearance. The most striking feature of this plant, however, is its strong blue iridescence. As with other metallic-shimmering plants, this likely serves to capture the limited amount of residual light that reaches the ground more efficiently in the shady undergrowth of rainforests. Unlike iridescent begonias, however, the effect here is not produced by iridoplasts, but by thin-film interference. More details can be found in this blog post .



One more important point, as this misinformation is still very widespread on the internet: S. willdenowii is definitely NOT an aquarium plant!

For some reason, individual, cut fronds of this species have recently become available as "aquarium plants." While it does grow in damp areas near watercourses in the rainforest, it is neither an aquatic nor a marsh plant. These cut fronds simply die slowly in an aquarium. A plant cannot be grown from these pieces, even in a terrarium. Successful propagation of this species from cuttings requires a section of the main stem with a fully developed rhizophore. This is not included in these pieces. Therefore, buying them is a complete waste of money!

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You will receive a well-rooted and established cutting at least 10cm tall in an 11cm pot. The variegation varies greatly from plant to plant; sometimes purely white or green (or blue) branches are formed. We prune our cuttings so that they all have a good proportion of white.

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.