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Species library › Selaginella › Selaginella arenicola
Terrarium Well documented

Selaginella arenicola

Sand spikemoss

A small, tufted spikemoss of the white sands of the south-eastern U.S. coastal plain, growing on bare, open patches in longleaf pine sandhill, Florida scrub and pine rockland. Unlike most spikemosses sold for terrariums, it comes from hot, sunny, fast-draining sand that dries out between rains. It needs strong light and a lean, dry-draining mix, not a closed humid tank.

Selaginella arenicola
Photo: scott.zona, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
At home, aim for
Day IntermediateTargets in Plantistry
Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry
Humidity Ordinary room humidityBand in Plantistry
Light Bright, filtered lightDLI and PPFD in Plantistry
Expects a seasonal restGrows in the ground

Where it grows wild

Open gaps of bare sand in fire-maintained longleaf pine sandhill, Florida scrub, scrubby flatwoods and pine rockland. The canopy there is sparse and frequent fires keep the ground open.

Coastal-plain lowland, from near sea level to about 100 m on the central Florida ridges; the GBIF records give no elevation.

FloridaGeorgiaAlabamaNorth Carolina

🔒 Growing it like that

The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:

✓ Day and night temperature targets, and the limits it tolerates
✓ Humidity band, and how to hold it
✓ Light as DLI and PPFD for a grow light
✓ Wet and dry seasons, and whether to rest it
✓ Substrate and airflow
✓ A step-by-step setup to grow it like the wild

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Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, used under its CC BY 2.0 licence, unmodified.