Students for Stewardship The Cork Board
← Back to the library

Peacock Moss

Selaginella uncinata (sel-ah-gih-NEL-ah un-sin-AY-tah)

Family: Selaginellaceae Non-native Groundcover (<1 ft)

Peacock Moss is native to southern China and is the sole genus of vascular plants in the family Selaginellaceae. Its common name is derived from its iridescent blue foliage, which can be more pronounced under minimal lighting. A plant with fern-like foliage that is classified as a moss due to its low growing, spreading habit. Plant it in shady nooks of the garden, containers, or hanging baskets or in a terrarium. A low, diminutive spreading groundcover with blue-green leaves commonly grown in greenhouses, nurseries, and areas along the Gulf Coast. Propagation can be easily accomplished by division and stem cuttings. Rooting from the tips of the foliage allows for easy division. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Locating in direct sunlight can scorch the foliage. Slugs can be a problem.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 39 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 5 - Groundcover (<1 ft) Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Fills a similar niche Arachniodes simplicior 'Variegata' Epipremnum aureum Selaginella kraussiana

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Ground Cover; Houseplant
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
Light
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Moist
Available space
Less than 12 inches
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 3 in. - 0 ft. 6 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
5 - Groundcover (<1 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Creeping; Dense; Horizontal; Spreading
Texture
Fine
Leaf color
Blue; Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately); Fronds
Leaf arrangement
Other/more complex
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf value
Showy
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Delicate, blue-green iridescent leaves.
Flower detail
No flowers
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
China
Play value
Easy to Grow; Shade; Textural
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Hanging Baskets; Pond; Woodland
Landscape theme
Rain Garden; Shade Garden
Design feature
Accent; Mass Planting
Garden tags
#shade garden #hanging baskets #container plant #dry soils intolerant #easy to grow #moist soil #humidity tolerant #easy to propagate #easy to grow houseplant #rabbit resistant #tropical #foot traffic tolerant #evergreen #heavy shade tolerant #houseplant #blue leaves
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Slugs & Snails on Ornamental Plants
Resistant to
Humidity; Rabbits
Propagation
Division; Stem Cutting

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.