“If you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it’s your world for a moment.” ― Georgia O'Keeffe

Gifts for Gardeners

#50: A Marimo

Often incorrectly called a “moss ball,” a marimo is actually a filamentous green algae (Aegagropila linnaei) that naturally grows in a ball-like shape.

These bundles are adapted to life at the bottom of cool freshwater lakes, with a minimal level of light. Those qualities have made them an ideal aquascaping specimen, as they can be cultivated under normal indoor light conditions.

Many people keep a marimo as a sort of low-maintenance “pet” in an office, bedroom, or other low-light environment - the water needs to be changed every so often, but other than that, this cute little ball of algae will likely grow a few millimetres every year with very little intervention.