Hi all, my name is Lee and I'm new to this Forum. I was hoping one of you gardening enthusiasts or experts may be able to help me.

For a number of years now I have been trying to source and alternative to moss for my Japanese Garden. Some worked but most had their flaws, but through trial and error I have found one that works well. The trouble is I dont know what it is called.

I bought it from a nursery in late summer 2012 but it didnt have a tag and the nursery assistant didnt know. I attach a picture in the hope that one of you may be able to help me identify it.

Its characteristics are that it is light green (almost aurea), its groundcovering, with a heather type appearance (but I'm pretty sure its not a heather species), it only appears to reach about 3-4 inches in height and is mat forming.

Any advice on what species it is (so that I can order a batch of them in the spring) would be gratefully received.

Many thanks
Lee

"Lee Mac" wrote in message
...

Hi all, my name is Lee and I'm new to this Forum.

This isn't a forum. This is usenet and your are seeing our posts because
Gardenbanter steals our posts without the permission of the posters and
posts them on it's site

I was hoping one of
you gardening enthusiasts or experts may be able to help me.

For a number of years now I have been trying to source and alternative
to moss for my Japanese Garden. Some worked but most had their flaws,
but through trial and error I have found one that works well. The
trouble is I dont know what it is called.

I bought it from a nursery in late summer 2012 but it didnt have a tag
and the nursery assistant didnt know. I attach a picture in the hope
that one of you may be able to help me identify it.

Its characteristics are that it is light green (almost aurea), its
groundcovering, with a heather type appearance (but I'm pretty sure its
not a heather species), it only appears to reach about 3-4 inches in
height and is mat forming.

Any advice on what species it is (so that I can order a batch of them in
the spring) would be gratefully received.

Many thanks
Lee


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I know I've seen it and should know the name of it, but I can't recall it.
Sorry

On Thu, 24 Jan 2013 19:56:04 +0000, Lee Mac wrote:
and the nursery assistant didnt know. I attach a picture in the hope
that one of you may be able to help me identify it.

Its characteristics are that it is light green (almost aurea), its
groundcovering, with a heather type appearance (but I'm pretty sure its
not a heather species), it only appears to reach about 3-4 inches in
height and is mat forming.

Any advice on what species it is (so that I can order a batch of them in
the spring) would be gratefully received.

Looks like you might have Selaginella kraussiana, golden spikemoss,
Krauss's spikemoss, African Clubmoss. It's native to the Canaries, Azores and
parts of Africa. It's not a true moss, but a relic of the oldest extant
vascular plant division, the Lycophyta. They're spore bearing, like mosses,
but they have microphylls, leaves with a single vascular trace, unlike
all the other vascular plants.

If you've been to the Museum of Natural History in London, you may have
noticed some strikingly patterned columns -- some of them are copies
of the patterns of giant Lycophyte trunks, like Lepidodendron, of the
Carboniferous.

Anyhow, Selaginellas are cool plants, imo. S. kraussiana is probably the
easiest for most people to grow, but you might try some different
species, too. My favorite goes by the common name "peacock fern" or
"rainbow moss", though it's no more a fern than a moss: S. uncinata.
The foliage is iridescent.

Kay

Good morning Kay

Thank you for your detailed response, it is good to now have a name to put to the plant, it is much appreciated. I'll take a look at your suggested alternative as well before ordering a batch in the spring.

Thanks again
Lee

On Sat, 26 Jan 2013 10:06:23 +0000, Lee Mac wrote:
put to the plant, it is much appreciated. I'll take a look at your
suggested alternative as well before ordering a batch in the spring.

There are several species of Selaginella in commerce, and you might
want to try them all -- they all have slightly different textures
and colors, and of course,cultural requirements. In addition, there are
several different cultivars of S. kraussiana, all with slightly different
colorations.

S. kraussiana has become a bad weed in New Zealand, so it can get out of hand.

Kay