Marimo Moss Ball

Botanical Name: Aegagropila Linnaei 

The Aegagropila Linnaei plant, or ‘Marimo’, is sometimes referred to simply as ‘Moss Ball’, which it owes to the fact that it resembles a ball of moss. It is a type of deep green algae which grows in large, very velvety balls. Marimo can be found in only three countries worldwide: Austria, Iceland, and Japan – with Japan being the only country in which they are found in more than one place.  This makes Marimo, which has a declining population, a protected plant.

Marimo invariably grow in lakes, either free-floating or on rocks.  This means that someone looking to grow a Marimo plant should do so in a freshwater aquarium and be prepared for the demanding care requirements which go alongside this – the aquarium ought to be temperature controlled!  Your Marimo plant needs indirect, filtered sunlight, so the aquarium should be installed relatively close to a window. Although most tap water is fine for Marimo, its water needs to be changed every two weeks, and will need to sit for 24 hours before being introduced to the aquarium to ensure that it is room temperature.