What’s the history of Marimo?
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?
Marimo’s an excellent choice for beginning houseplant enthusiasts and long time plant parents alike. Since Marimo need very little attention, they are the perfect plants for kids who want their very own houseplant, a wonderful gift for newlyweds as they are a symbol of love, a lovely heirloom plant 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 7-10 days, but they can easily go longer, up to two or three weeks if need be. To wash the marimo, gently remove from the vessel and squeeze each marimo gently but 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 aquarium or sea 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.
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 also recommend adding carbonated water 1-2 parts carbonated water to tap or distilled water, once every month or so. The CO2 boosts photosynthesis and it’s so fun to watch teeny tiny bubbles collect along the surface of the marimo.
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.
How long can marimo live?
Marimo have an incredibly long life span, and some have been known to reach the ripe old age of 200! Yet another reason we are so smitten, they can be a family heirloom houseplant, a unique way to celebrate the birth of a child, and make a lovely wedding or housewarming gift!
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.
Want to see more? Here is our most recent Youtube video
Remember, if you care for these well, they can be a heritage plant you can pass down for generations!
Enjoy, and happy growing, friends!
Love, Sacred Elements