Red Spikemoss Plant Care
Selaginella erythropus (Mart.) Spring
Updated ยท Sources ยท How we source care data
Selaginella erythropus is a species of spike moss in the family Selaginellaceae. It is native to Central and tropical South America, and may be native or introduced in the West Indies.
Bright indirect light
At a glance
How do you care for Red Spikemoss?
Red Spikemoss grows best in bright indirect light.
Where Is the Red Spikemoss Native To?
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Aruba
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Cayman Islands
- Colombia
- Cuba
- Curaรงao
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- French Guiana
- Grenada
- Guadeloupe
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Jamaica
- Martinique
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Puerto Rico
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Suriname
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- Venezuela
- Virgin Islands, British
- Virgin Islands, U.S.
What Is the Red Spikemoss?
Red Spikemoss (Selaginella erythropus) belongs to the Selaginellaceae family within the Selaginella genus. Red Spikemoss is native to Central and tropical South America, and may be native or introduced in the West Indies. Red Spikemoss is also known as Red Clubmoss.
Red Spikemoss displays a low-growing, spreading groundcover growth habit, reaching up to tall with a spread of approximately . Red Spikemoss produces non-flowering plant.
What Light Does the Red Spikemoss Need?
Red Spikemoss thrives in bright indirect light. Avoid placing Red Spikemoss in direct, harsh sunlight for extended periods, as this can scorch the foliage.
Light Requirement
Bright indirect light
What Soil Mix Works Best for a Red Spikemoss?
Moist, well-draining soil with high organic matter content. Good drainage is essential for Red Spikemoss to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.
How Do You Repot a Red Spikemoss?
Repot every 1-2 years in spring. Choose a pot one size larger than the current container, and ensure it has drainage holes to allow excess water to escape.
How Do You Propagate a Red Spikemoss?
Red Spikemoss can be propagated through spores, division of rhizomes. Similar propagation techniques also apply to none plant care, which shares the same genus.
Is the Red Spikemoss Toxic to Pets and Children?
Pet safety not verified
The ASPCA does not list Red Spikemoss, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Keep pets from chewing it as a precaution.
This is a general caution, not veterinary or medical advice. If your pet ate a plant, contact your vet or animal poison control.
See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.
What Pests and Diseases Affect the Red Spikemoss?
Red Spikemoss is susceptible to spider mites, scale insects. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.
Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.
Keep exploring plants
Red Spikemoss is one of many species covered in the complete plant care and identification guide, which groups plants by genus, attribute, and popularity.
It belongs to the Selaginella genus โ compare its care with other Selaginella species on PlantoScan.
Selaginella is part of the Selaginellaceae plant family โ browse all Selaginellaceae genera and species.
Red Spikemoss thrives in bright light and direct sun โ see other bright-light plants.
More Selaginella Species
Other Selaginella species in PlantoScan's care catalogue share similar watering, light, and soil preferences:
Sources
- Scientific name & taxonomy: Selaginella erythropus (Mart.) Spring, family Selaginellaceae (first published in Fl. Bras. 1(2): 125 1840) โ World Flora Online record, IPNI name record.
- Pet toxicity: Pet safety not verified: the ASPCA does not list Red Spikemoss, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Checked against the ASPCA plant list; any other toxicity note on this page comes from PlantoScan's plant database.
- Care values(watering, light, temperature, humidity, soil, fertilizing): PlantoScan's plant database, filtered by automatic plausibility checks โ values that fail them are hidden. How we source and check plant data.
Spotted a mistake? Email info@upvision.media with the page link โ we check and correct reported errors.
