It was the biggest cascade of lycopodium squarrosum I’d ever seen. The epiphyte looked as good as mink.
There wasn’t even a price tag on it – a truly priceless plant. There were smaller versions of this beauty for sale. At a whopping USD40 upwards, it was much more than I would pay for a few strands of the plant.
And so I had to be contented with occasional visits to the plant centre, dropping in to feast my eyes on the plant.
A gardening friend gave me a few bits that had detached from his plant. These have rooted and are growing slowly so I know it’ll be years before they grow into anything substantial. No wonder the plant commands a premium price.
Then two weeks ago I chanced on a pile of lycopodium squarrosum that had just been delivered to a garden centre. They had yet to be potted and was sold by the kilogram.
The price? A reasonable USD30 per kilo.
I bought a small clump which weighed a little over 250g. There were 7 strong stems and 2 new shoots, and I knew it could cost thrice as much once it was potted.
The leaves were shorter and coarser than my dream lycopodium, but no matter. I was satisfied.
I carved big holes at the base of a pot and gingerly threaded the stems through the gaps. After filling it with a loose mix of soil, pine park and sphagnum peat moss, and adding a topping of live forest moss, I hung the potted squarrosum.
Finally.
Now I yearn for a clump of the softer squarrosum. Maybe, one day …
Care and propagation: shade to dappled light; well-drained loose soil mixed with mulch and moss; water frequently; loves high humidity. Propagate using cuttings or by division.
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Oh, my dad bought this about a year back too, from one of the Kovan nurseries, I think. If I remember rightly, he got a large one for about $20. We’ve since snipped tips off to propagate and the cuttings seem really happy…or something. Lol.
nice, yeah? now i’d love to have the soft furry one … my dream lycopodium. LOL
LOL. Got soft furry one ah?
the last photo is the furry one i love – that was taken at Sg B. the one i bought has shorter, slightly harder leaves. i think the bits tarence gave me are the softer variety. 🙂
Ooooo. Nice!
if only it was cheaper, i’d get it for sure!
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So lovely !! They look like giant Araucaria heterophylla leaves. 🙂
$40? So expensive. They are so cheap here… 🙂
lucky you, dorie. where are you located?
I love this plant! Amazing pics! i have 5 lycopodium species in cultivation but squarrosum is my favorit!