Selaginella willdenowii
The size of the plant and of its bag can vary a little from the photograph — each one grows at its own pace. We keep them as consistent as we can.
Overview
Peacock fern shimmers a metallic blue, like a peacock's feathers. That color doesn't come from a pigment: a very thin layer of cells on the leaf surface reflects light, just like a soap bubble, and shields the plant from sun rays that break through the understory. Although it's called a fern, it's actually a spikemoss, from a lineage of plants even older than the ferns. It's native to China and tropical Asia.
Culture
A shade plant: it wants indirect light, no direct sun, and high humidity. It grows in soil rich in organic matter, moist but well drained, sheltered from wind. In deep shade its blue is at its most intense. Its stems spread and climb over nearby plants.
Edible Uses
No known edible uses.
Medicinal
No well-documented medicinal uses.
Traditional uses for information only. Not a substitute for advice from a health professional.
Agroforestry
In the catalog for its beauty, not for a role in an agroforestry system. It does provide cover wherever it is planted.