🌿 Selaginella pallescens Care Sheet 🌿
Common Name: Pale Spike-moss
Family: Selaginellaceae
Origin: Mexico to South America (tropical & subtropical forests)
Growth Type: Sprawling, mat-forming lycophyte (not a true moss)
 
🔆 LIGHT
Indoors:
Bright, indirect light is best.
Can tolerate low light but may grow leggy and lose color vibrancy.
Avoid direct sunlight—it can scorch or desiccate the delicate foliage.
Terrarium:
Thrives under artificial lighting—LEDs or fluorescents with 10–12 hrs/day.
Diffuse light mimics its natural understory habitat.
 
🌡️ TEMPERATURE & HUMIDITY
Ideal Temperature Range: 18–26°C (65–78°F)
Minimum: 12°C (54°F); avoid cold drafts or temperature drops
Humidity:
Indoors: Requires high humidity (60% minimum).
Use a humidifier or humidity tray; otherwise, it struggles in dry homes.
Terrarium: Perfect candidate—thrives at 80–100% RH.
Maintains compact, lush growth with constant moisture in the air.
 
💧 WATERING
Keep evenly moist at all times – drying out can quickly cause dieback.
Indoors:
Water when the surface feels just slightly dry—don’t let it fully dry out.
Prefers distilled or rainwater if your tap water is hard.
Terrarium:
Requires minimal watering if humidity is high.
Substrate should stay moist but not waterlogged—avoid standing water.
 
🌱 SOIL & SUBSTRATE
Indoors:
Use a rich, well-draining, moisture-retentive mix.
Suggested: 2 parts peat or coco coir, 1 part perlite, and a pinch of bark or sand.
Terrarium:
Great on sphagnum moss, fine orchid bark mix, or high-organic tropical substrates.
Likes to sprawl across moist surfaces, so mossy or leaf-litter-rich textures work well.
 
🍽️ FERTILIZER
Indoors:
Feed monthly in the growing season with a very diluted (¼ strength) balanced liquid fertilizer.
Sensitive to salts—flush soil occasionally to prevent buildup.
Terrarium:
Optional—feed sparingly (every 6–8 weeks) with diluted fertilizer if growth stalls.
Too much can encourage algae or fungal issues.
 
✂️ MAINTENANCE
Prune leggy or dried tips to encourage compact growth.
Keep substrate fresh to avoid mold or root issues.
 
📏 SIZE & GROWTH HABIT
Low-growing, creeping or trailing habit
Height: 5–10 cm (2–4 in)
Can spread widely given space; forms dense mats or cascades over edges
In terrariums: Often used as a ground cover or for draping over slopes
 
🌱 PROPAGATION
Very easy:
Divide clumps or cut stems and press them into moist substrate.
New roots and fronds will form where nodes contact soil or moss.
 
⚠️ POTENTIAL ISSUES
Crispy or browning tips: Dry air or underwatering
Rotting base: Overwatering or poor airflow
Stunted growth: Insufficient light or cold temperatures
 
✅ TERRARIUM SUITABILITY
✔ Excellent for closed or high-humidity terrariums
✔ Sprawling habit makes it ideal for ground coverage or lush backdrops
✔ Pairs beautifully with orchids, mosses, and moisture-loving ferns
❌ Not suitable for arid or open terrariums
❌ Sensitive to drying out—even for a few hours