Stiff Club Moss
Lycopodium annotinum
Family: Lycopodiaceae
What it is like
Lycopodium annotinum is an evergreen Fern growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in) by 1 m (3ft 3in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 2. It is in leaf all year, and the seeds ripen from June to September. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 0.5
Where it is found
Moors on mountains from 50 - 800 metres in northern Britain.
Arctic and N. temperate zone, including Britain, south to Spain, the Himalayas and Oregon.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 0
Medicine
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Other
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The plant has been mixed with clay and used to fill the gaps between logs in log cabins. The plant has been mixed with potting compost to act as a fertilizer and make plants growing in it healthier.
How it is grown
Thrives in a rough spongy peat. Requires a humid atmosphere. Terrestrial members of this genus are hard to establish. The roots are delicate and liable to rot, most water being absorbed through the foliage. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer. Although looking more like a moss, this genus is closely related to the ferns.
Propagating it: Spores - best sown as soon as they are ripe on the surface of a humus-rich sterilized soil. Keep the compost moist, preferably by putting a plastic bag over the pot. Pot on small clumps of plantlets as soon as they are large enough to handle and keep humid until they are well established. Do not plant outside until the ferns are at least 2 years old and then only in a very well sheltered position. The spores are generally produced in abundance but are difficult to grow successfully. Layering of growing tips.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Fern
Hardiness:
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
The plant contains lycopodine, which is poisonous by paralysing the motor nerves. It also contains clavatine which is toxic to many mammals. The spores, however, are not toxic.