Immortelle (La Selaginella)  

fern called Selaginella

La selaginella is a plant native to the Chihuahuan desert, which comprises some 700 identified species, that are distributed by extensive regions in the world. It is identified by other names such as: Siempreviva or Doradilla.

General characteristics

upholstery plant

The subspecies of this plant are characterized by being always green. Some of them are native to humid tropical forests, while others have adapted to the conditions of more arid areas with prolonged periods of drought, where they manage to survive thanks to the fact that their small leaves have a thick cuticle that protects them, which together with that gather like a ball while the drought lasts, they minimize the surface of perspiration and they resist until the end of the season.

As they have the ability to return to their original shape when weather conditions are favorable, they are called resurrection plant. The selaginella It is distinguished by its partly prostrate and partly upright stem from which a large number of ramifications arise, it has no knots and no internodes, the roots are also numerous and adventitious.

Small leaves fitted with scales can also be seen on the stem just at the base of the ligule, where the plant absorbs the water that is deposited on the leaves and sends it to the circulatory system. Lacks flowers, but instead it has sporophylls or organs whose function is the reproduction of the plant, similar to ferns.

Main species of selaginella

Those that we will mention below are the most widespread in various regions of the world and therefore the best known:

Selaginella Lepidophylla

Very common in Central and South America, green leaf rosettes tend to turn reddish when ripe. This subspecies protects itself from droughts by closing like a ball and returning to its original shape when the humidity or favorable climate returns.

Selaginella Kraussiana

This subspecies is native to East Africa, grows very fast, has many roots in the stem and is a climber.

Selaginella martensii

One of the best known subspecies that originates from Mexico. It differs from the others by its erect stem and inclined outwards and its leaves are larger and more showy.

selaginella uncinata

It is a representative of this species of the most beautiful and used to create grassy rugs and to place them in suspended baskets like ferns.

Selaginella Helvetica

It is typical of the Alps and is distinguished by the two rows of small leaves at the top plus two rows of large leaves toward the bottom, all located at the top of the stem.

Selaginella denticulata

It is a very delicate subspecies that has small branches and small light green leaves that are serrated at the edges.

General plant care

decorative plant called Selaginella

La selaginella In reality, it does not require much care, however it prefers places with shade or that the sun reaches it indirectly. So if you are going to grow it at home, find a good place that is also away from drafts. Regarding temperatures, ideally, they should be above 16º or 18º.

In spring - summer the plant requires frequent watering, so you should make sure that the substrate is always humid but not flooded. Additionally, you can spray around it once a day in order to create a humid environment. This time of year is ideal to provide fertilizer to the substrate in a very light way since the plant is not too demanding in this regard.

Apply it every 3 or 4 weeks mixing the complete and quality compost with the irrigation water, additionally reduce to ¼ the recommended dose on the compost package. In autumn-winter watering is reduced more, so humidity conditions in the environment must be maintained.

Flowering and pruning

Remember that these plants have sporangia instead of flowers, which are responsible for reproduction. This should be done once a year, just when the transplant is done in the spring since the plant expands very quickly and in a disorderly way. The pruning is done by cutting the branches to half their size.


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