r/Lichen • u/TubbaBotox • 7h ago
Volunteer Lichen
I discovered this sprouting on a patch of soil loosely adhered to a terracotta planter (Tevaplanter) inside a terrarium of sorts (also sold by Tevaplanter, along with an accessory grow light). The planter is a self-watering hollow vessel that contains water and allows it to sorta "sweat" through it's wall via these tessellated pores formed into the pottery. I'm not a Tevaplanter employee/owner, btw... I've generally been pretty disappointed in the speed of their order fulfillment and the ability of these things to actually support plant life, FWIW.
I'm in Central Ohio, but it's probably more important that I previously attempted to get some bagged moss intended for floral arrangement to "take root" in this spot. I later discovered that said moss was sterilized... but maybe not well enough?
Anyway, I don't know much about lichens, or how they propagate... but I'm curious to know more, and I'd be curious to hear guesses about what species this might be. It seems to be doing really well, so maybe I'll focus on getting lichens to grow, rather than moss.
(P.S. Upon further review of this photo, the thing on right appears to have a stalk, and possibly a central vein running down the two lobes... so it might actually be a plant. 90% sure the rest of the green stuff is lichen, though.)