The history of Marimo can be traced back to a few freshwater lakes around Europe and Japan. The most well known is Lake Akan, Japan where up to 6,000,000 Marimo grow slowly in the cold, bowl-shaped freshwater lake. Marimo were first discovered in 1820 by Anton E. Sauter, who happened upon the curious green balls in Lake Zell, Austria. Later, Japanese botanist Tatsuhiko Kawakami in 1898, deemed them Marimo, ‘Mari’ meaning ball and ‘Mo’ meaning seaweed, algae or aquatic plant.
Many of you have probably heard of the folklore around Marimo: two lovers, unable to be united, she the daughter of a chief and he a commoner, run away together but fall into Lake Akan and drown, their hearts becoming the first Marimo. Sweet, tragic and definitely memorable! Today, in Japan and now all over the world, Marimo are given as a token of love, and offered as a gift for your heart’s deepest desire.
Are Marimo endangered? Are they sustainable?
In 1921 Marimo were designated a National Treasure in Japan. However, as Lake Akan and the surrounding area began to develop, the number of people wishing to possess this strangely beautiful algae increased too. Despite their new classification as a protected species, their numbers dwindled as a result of illegal harvesting, the people of Lake Akan looked for ways to protect Marimo against extinction. And in 1950 the first Marimo Festival was conceived to inspire people to actively protect and honor the endangered algae of Lake Akan.
Today, Marimo are grown sustainably in farms across Japan and throughout Eastern Europe. The Marimo we curated and sell in our shop are grown and harvested from a responsible source with the utmost care and attention to the environment. We want to keep Marimo happily thriving and untouched in their natural, protected habitat too! We only source from one trusted supplier so we can continue to encourage people to bring them into their homes to grow, educate and inspire natural world connection
Are Marimo a good choice for beginners?
YES!
Marimo is an excellent choice for beginning houseplant enthusiasts and long time plant parents alike. Since marimo need very little attention, they are perfect for kids who want their very own 'houseplant', a wonderful gift for newlyweds as they are a symbol of love, and a thoughtful heirloom that can be passed down from generation to generation.
How do I keep the Marimo?
We recommend housing your Marimo in an open, glass vessel. You may add cleaned and rinsed rocks, crystals, shells, other aquatic plants and fish to the vessel (care tips are different once you add a fish). For those of you who have a curious cat & need to put a lid on your Marimo, we recommend one that breathes for optimal air circulation. Consider the natural environment of Marimo, lakes don’t have lids!
How often should I clean my Marimo?
We like to clean the Marimo vessel and Marimo every 10-14 days, but they can easily go longer, up to three-four weeks if need be. To wash the Marimo, gently remove from the vessel and squeeze each Marimo gently, slowly, and firmly (like a hug) with two cupped hands to avoid tearing, then roll hands together in a circular motion to reshape. To clean the vessel and rocks, shells or crystals, dump out old water, rinse and wipe down surfaces with a clean sponge or cloth, be mindful of soap residue, just use water with the scrubbing motion to clean and then rinse thoroughly. Maybe have a dedicated sponge just for Marimo! Refill vessel with cold tap/distilled water and add a dash of Marimo Salt. Gently clean, rinse & replace rocks or decorative crystals along with Marimo and place in indirect light to display. We recommend using a lightly dampened cloth with a dash of vinegar to clean the outside and inside of the glass vessel to keep the surface looking bright and clean without smudges or older water line marks.
White spots can be caused from two things, either too much exposure to light or a hostile algae has decided to attack.
If the white spots are on the end of the green "hairs" and look bleached out, then you are dealing with too much light. Your Marimo are just a bit burned and need to be moved to a new location. Go ahead and gently trim off the burned filament with clean, sharp scissors (I use cosmetic scissors) and clean as instructed above.
If the white spots are harder and attached to the actual ball then you are dealing with a hostile algae and we need to cut away or use tweezers to gently pull off all the white color before giving your Marimo a saltwater bath as instructed below. Be sure to clean the vase or container well with either a drop of bleach and hot water, or vinegar and hot water, rinse well and replace with clean tap, spring or rain water before adding Marimo back to their home.
Bonus Tips:
During the warmer months you can add a handful of ice cubes or pop the entire vessel into the refrigerator for a few days to give Marimo a little vacation!
We recommend adding carbonated water 1-2 parts carbonated water to tap, rain or spring water, once every month or so. The CO2 boosts photosynthesis and is so fun to watch teeny tiny bubbles collect along the surface of the Marimo as it photosynthesizes!
Adding a pinch of Marimo Salt to their water helps prevent any grey or brown spotting while also reducing biofilm (a slimy film that floats in and on top of the water) while keeping them feeling right at home. If biofilm continues to float on top of the water you can try this too!
Remove Marimo and clean vase or vessel with hot water and vinegar and rinse well making sure to cool off the vase before adding fresh, cold water again. Then, give Marimo a full ocean soak by following our instructions here:
add 7 teaspoons of our Marimo Salt to a liter of water and mix well until fully dissolved. Place Marimo in salt water solution, out of any direct sunlight, and let sit for 24-36 hours. Remove and rinse under cold tap water for 10 seconds, squeezing gently before replacing them into spring, rain or tap water once again.
How long can Marimo live?
In their natural habitat, marimo have been documented to live up to 200 years.
They grow slowly (approximately 5 millimeters a year) and the largest marimo found to date is roughly the size of a basketball!
Can you put other plants or animals in with Marimo?
Adding other plants or animals to your Marimo is no problem. If you’d like to build your own indoor water garden and include Marimo for their amazing shape and texture-go for it! If you want to give your freshwater fish a few green friends to keep them company and help them feel safe, no problem. Just be sure to follow all instructions for proper fish care and clean your Marimo as suggested above.
Why do they float or sink?
In their natural environment, when marimo photosynthesize, they produce oxygen making them buoyant & keeping them closer to the surface of the water. When the light fades, marimo no longer photosynthesize and they descend once again to hang out at the bottom of the lake. The second reason marimo float is due to their circadian rhythm. We cover these concepts in our new downloadable lesson plan Volume 1-3 of Sacred Elements Plant School. Their unique round shape keep marimo photosynthesizing no matter how they roll which is vital to keeping them from getting sunburnt.
Marimo need movement! Give your marimo vessel a little swirling action every so often to keep them moving and feeling like they’re right at home among the soft lake currents.
Each ball is formed as long strings of algae filament roll along the bottom of sandy lakes and bind together along the shallows of these waters. Their average size is about that of a golf ball, but some grow much larger as they age.
They propagate by ‘budding’ or forming a new little version of themself that will eventually tear away and become its own marimo.
Why are Marimo different shades of green?
Coloration depends on lighting over time. Darker green is more common and a sign of optimal health. Lighter green is likely due to more lighting exposure over time, but doesn't necessarily mean there is a health issue.
Why do some Marimo have fuzzy, short 'hair' and some have longer?
There is only one species of 'real' Marimo, with 3 types of growth forms:
If you find you have a Marimo with “short hair” which tend to be more fuzzy, then you have a more rare version, but still the same type of green friend. There is no difference in species looking at the filaments under microscope, just subtitle variations.
Want to learn more? Here is our most recent Youtube video
You may have heard the alarming news that an invasive, destructive species of freshwater mussels have been hitchhiking their way across the globe on Marimo. Zebra Mussels reproduce quickly and alter food webs by overconsumption of plankton. This in turn increases harmful algae overgrowth and wreaks havoc in waterways, causing an imbalance to our ecosystem.
Sacred Elements developed our relationship with our trusted supplier of Marimo years ago specifically and intentionally because of their conservation practices and attention to detail. They are in alignment with our goal of protecting our natural resources. Our beloved Marimo have been Zebra Mussel free for many proactive reasons they put into place years ago that we wanted to share with you here.
In addition, our team here at Sacred Elements sorts through each and every Marimo we receive. We then clean them extensively, individually inspecting them for health and vibrance. After that process we care for them in our small shop before carefully packaging and sending them out to you. That is why we tend to have wait times and preorder status on our website. We only send out healthy, thriving products so you can experience the wonder that is Marimo!
Read full zebra mussel blog post here
]]>“Stop the hysteria, SAVE THE MARIMO!”
You may have heard the alarming news that an invasive, destructive species of freshwater mussels have been hitchhiking their way across the globe on Marimo. Zebra Mussels reproduce quickly and alter food webs by overconsumption of plankton. This in turn increases harmful algae overgrowth and also wreaks havoc in waterways, causing an imbalance to our ecosystem.
Sacred Elements developed our relationship with our trusted supplier of Marimo years ago specifically and intentionally because of their conservation practices and attention to detail. They are in alignment with our goal of protecting our natural resources. Our beloved Marimo have been Zebra Mussel free for many proactive reasons they put into place years ago that we wanted to share with you here.
From our supplier:
“Even though all of our incoming shipments are inspected and cleared by DFW/USDA, we quarantine and treat all marimo that arrive to us for a minimum of two weeks to eradicate any pests, including mussels. We are the only supplier of Marimo that does this as far as we know, and no customer will ever receive a live mussel of any kind from us in their Marimo. Part of the reason our quarantine process takes so long is that the treatments used could kill wanted invertebrates in the customer’s tank if any of the treatment remained within the Marimo, so we wash them out several times after the initial treatment to sanitize them of other life. Any mussels that might remain are only dead shells and not living mussels, as the shells do not dissolve quickly once the mussel dies. Even so, we are deeply sorry to hear the news that these shells have caused so much alarm, and we will continue to quarantine and monitor all marimo shipments that arrive to us. We also appreciate you taking environmental conservation seriously; Zebra Mussels are a scourge to freshwater waterways, and nearly impossible to remove once they become established.
The concern is very much valid here, but to fully understand, the reality is that the danger level is so low that it is nearly not an issue at all in this case. Zebra Mussels have been an issue since the 1980’s, this is not a new thing. Boats are where regulations have been imposed. It is far easier for the species to spread that way and is a legitimate concern.
Zebra mussels adults can survive out of water for about 7 days before death. Thankfully, due to our import process of marimo, it can take two weeks or more for them to arrive in the states. For this reason if any zebra mussels did hitchhike a ride, they would be dead on arrival because marimo are not shipped in water. This would be the case even before we begin our quarantine process. Our local FWS agent was very pleased with our operation, and quite frankly, a bit surprised with our substantial treatment process. We are told that we are the only importer known to be doing these extra treatments and processes after receiving. Marimo are legal to sell, however, at the request of DFW we have voluntarily paused sales temporarily so they can get a handle on the situation. We hope to have marimo back up very soon as our inventory is not affected by any live mussels and as such our inventory remains in our possession. There is something to be said for that!
That said, we have already performed these treatments and your current marimo are not a threat in any way. We are working closely with DFW and our supplier, it’s unfortunate that some, or maybe better said, most importers were not doing due diligence. Stop the hysteria, save the marimo! Anyone who takes a few minutes to understand what a zebra mussel needs to survive can understand that the environment we put marimo into in the aquatic hobby cannot sustain their lifecycle. As a test, I have personally kept marimo in full ocean levels of salt water for more than a month and the marimo survived.”
Zebra Mussels are an invertebrate. These are a freshwater species. They cannot survive in salt water, period. A 24 hour soak will kill them (including larvae) and any other freshwater livestock species. It’s just not even remotely possible at full ocean water salinity. Lower levels like brackish water will take longer, maybe 48 hours. If you currently keep Marimo like we do, as an aquatic plant, not in an aquarium with other creatures, here is what you can do to ease your mind. Again, if you have bought your Marimo from Sacred Elements, there is no need to do this step.
To create a salt water solution for your Marimo:
Add 7 teaspoons of our Marimo Salt or high quality aquarium salt to one liter cold water and mix until fully dissolved. Place Marimo in marine solution, out of any direct sunlight, and let sit for 24-36 hours. Remove and rinse under cold tap water for 10 seconds, squeezing gently and rolling between your hands before replacing them into spring, rain or tap water
For all our Marimo care tips head to our FAQ’s here
In addition, our team here at Sacred Elements sorts through each and every Marimo we receive. We then clean them extensively, individually inspecting them for health and vibrance. After that process we care for them for many weeks to months in our small shop before carefully packaging and sending them out to you. That is why we tend to have wait times and preorder status on our website. We only send out healthy, thriving products so you can experience the wonder that is Marimo!
Excellent question, and one we get ALL THE TIME!
So let’s dive in.
Marimo are a unique, orb shaped algae that sink and float for two reasons: photosynthesis and the circadian rhythm.
In their natural habitat of freshwater (and occasionally brackish) lakes and rivers, Marimo photosynthesize, just like land plants. Oxygen is released as a byproduct of photosynthesis and the air helps to lift and keep the balls on the surface of the water where they gather light energy from the sun. Those tiny bubbles stick to the surface layer of filament. Did you know thousands of strands of filament make up each Marimo ball? Picture a ball of yarn with string wrapped round and round to create an orb and you're on the right track!
So that makes sense, they float to photosynthesize, but what other factors contribute to their seemingly mysterious movements? In recent studies, we’ve learned oxygen isn’t the only thing that makes these algae orbs buoyant! Like plants and animals, Marimo respond to the circadian rhythm.
What is the Circadian Rhythm?
Have you seen our time lapse videos? Over the years we've shared dozens of videos highlighting the movements of plant life that goes unseen in our day to day. Those houseplants are grooving to the circadian rhythm beat! Oxalis, maranta, monstera and calathea are all beautiful examples of how forces of time and light affect us all. In animals, the circadian rhythm is the internal process that regulates our sleep-wake cycle. This cycle generally repeats itself every 24 hours. But like plants (and algae), the circadian rhythm communicates the season, time and temperature of their surrounding environment. It also tells plants when to flower for the best chance of attracting pollinators and therefore, to survive as a species.
So why do Marimo not sink or float in my home?
That’s where things become a little bit trickier! In nature, Marimo adjust to the natural rhythm of day/night light cycles. The sun comes up and they may rise with the sun while photosynthesizing, the sun goes down and they sink again to rest on the sandy lake or rocky river bed.
However, in our homes, we turn lights on and off throughout the day and into the evening, which confuses the natural day/night signals and therefore effects how and when Marimo sink and float.
We've been curious to see if we could capture those sneaky movements to understand this concept better. In our most recent time lapse video, we kept an ambient LED light on in the background during the entire 12 days of filming. We weren’t sure how the Marimo would react but were thrilled to witness how capture Marimo indeed rose and fell a few times! We did add water to the vase one of those times, which increases oxygen levels in the water, but that doesn't account for the other two times we captured it surfacing! We'll add a link at the end of this post so you can see it too!
Did you know we created a digital natural science lesson featuring Marimo? We wanted to encourage more connection with nature and less screen time for families stuck at home. The first lesson is free!
Hope this helps explain why your Marimo may hang out at the bottom of the vase. That's right friends, you are not doing anything wrong if your Marimo don't float! If you want to experience more floating Marimo moments, you can change out the water more frequently and give your Marimo a gentle hug with two hands to clean and release some excess water before replacing it into the clean water. You can also add carbonated water to the vessel a few times a month to increase CO2 levels! We have a wealth of tips and tricks for you in our Community Resources pages here on our website too!
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