How to Buy Marimo
19Jan

The Marimo’s Physical Resemblance to the Earth as Part of its Appeal

Locale: Northern Hemisphere (Japan, Iceland, Scotland, Estonia) Aegagropila Linnaei, also known as Marimo in Japanese and Lake Ball or Moss Balls in English is a rare but assuredly cute form of filamentous green algae that grows in lakes in the northern hemisphere. These wondrously velvety balls of algae can sometimes form whole colonies. Their aesthetic appeal and slight semblance to the Earth has heralded them a position of national treasure in Japan, where they've been under protection since the 1920s. Their bulbous...

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19Jan

Marimo Buying Guide and Specimen Selection

There has been quite a bit of controversy surrounding the keeping of marimo over the years, as the hobby of growing marimo has developed and evolved since they were discovered in Lake Akan in 1898. The marimo collecting hobby can be traced back to Japan, where discerning collectors are known to use the following metrics when rating prize specimens for purchase. As such, prices vary accordingly depending on the grade of each criteria. This guide will attempt to outline the fundamental...

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19Jan

Selecting an Appropriate Jar or Vessel to House a Marimo Specimen

Throughout the years, Marimo Moss Balls have become a favorite addition to the world of aquarium plant hobby. As a matter of fact, in 2007, the International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition team conducted a project of creating Marimo-ish collection of bacteria. Aegagropila linnaei, more commonly known as Marimo, is a species of filamentous green, spherical shaped algae, which is considered as one of the most popular living organisms in Japan. What is interesting about Marimo is that it is a rare...

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19Jan

How We Cultivate Environmentally Sustainable Authentic Lake Akan Marimo at MossBall.com

As you will recall from reading previous articles on MossBall.com, there exist three naturally-occurring forms of marimo in the wild: free-floating form, carpet form, and ball form. Of these three forms, the most famous and popular form is the ball form that we have come to know as "marimo." It is important to note that the scientific classification for each of these forms is identical: Aegagropila Linnaei. In addition, each of these three forms possess identical genetic DNA profiles, as...

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19Jan

A Beginner’s Introduction to Differentiating Real and Fake Marimo

A naturally occurring spherical plant sounds intriguing, doesn’t it? Enter the Marimo, an aquatic plant with a truly extraordinary form. Marimo – also known as Moss Balls – actually comprise of a large colony of green algae that group together and gradually grow into a round dense clump. The plants are so rare that they are only believed to grow naturally in Japan, Iceland, Scotland and Estonia although their enchanting yet bizarre shape has catapulted them into worldwide popularity; a...

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