Bluntleaf Spikemoss: The Tiny Ancient Plant That’s Actually Not a Moss
Meet bluntleaf spikemoss (Selaginella mutica), a fascinating little plant that’s been fooling gardeners with its name for years. Despite what its common name suggests, this isn’t actually a moss at all! Instead, it’s a spikemoss – part of an ancient group of plants called lycophytes that have been around since before dinosaurs roamed the Earth.
What Exactly Is Bluntleaf Spikemoss?
Bluntleaf spikemoss is a perennial plant that looks remarkably like moss but is actually more closely related to ferns. It forms dense, carpet-like mats of tiny, scale-like leaves that hug the ground. The plant gets its bluntleaf name from its rounded leaf tips, which distinguish it from other spikemoss species with pointed leaves.
This little survivor is native to the southwestern United States, naturally occurring in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming. It’s perfectly adapted to harsh, dry conditions and can be found growing in rocky outcrops, desert floors, and other challenging environments where many plants simply can’t survive.
How to Identify Bluntleaf Spikemoss
Recognizing bluntleaf spikemoss is easier once you know what to look for:
- Forms dense, low-growing mats that rarely exceed an inch in height
- Tiny, overlapping scale-like leaves arranged in four rows along the stems
- Leaf tips are blunt or rounded (not pointed)
- Turns bronze or copper-colored during dry periods
- Produces small cone-like structures (strobili) for reproduction instead of flowers
- Spreads by creeping stems that root as they grow
Is Bluntleaf Spikemoss Beneficial in Gardens?
Absolutely! While it might not be the showiest plant in your garden, bluntleaf spikemoss offers some unique benefits:
Erosion Control: Its dense mat-forming habit makes it excellent for stabilizing soil on slopes and preventing erosion in challenging areas.
Low-Maintenance Ground Cover: Once established, it requires virtually no care and can thrive in poor soils where other plants struggle.
Drought Tolerance: This tough little plant can survive extended dry periods, making it perfect for water-wise landscapes.
Unique Texture: It adds an interesting, fine-textured element to rock gardens and xeriscapes.
Where You’ll Find It Thriving
In nature, bluntleaf spikemoss is typically found in:
- Rocky outcrops and cliff faces
- Desert grasslands and shrublands
- Areas with well-draining, often poor soils
- Elevations from 3,000 to 8,000 feet
- Sites that receive full sun to partial shade
Garden Applications
If you’re lucky enough to discover bluntleaf spikemoss in your area or want to encourage its growth, it works beautifully in:
- Rock gardens and alpine gardens
- Xeriscapes and drought-tolerant landscapes
- Between stepping stones or in pathway cracks
- As living mulch around other drought-tolerant plants
- Green roof applications (where climate permits)
The Ancient Plant in Your Modern Garden
What makes bluntleaf spikemoss truly special is its incredible history. These plants represent one of the earliest forms of vascular plant life on Earth, having evolved around 400 million years ago. When you see this humble little plant carpeting a rocky outcrop, you’re looking at a direct descendant of some of the first plants to develop true roots, stems, and leaves.
Unlike true mosses, spikemosses have a vascular system that allows them to transport water and nutrients throughout the plant. This gives them advantages in drier conditions and explains why they can survive in environments where true mosses would perish.
So the next time you encounter what looks like a patch of moss in your southwestern garden or on a hiking trail, take a closer look. You might just be meeting one of nature’s most ancient and resilient survivors – the remarkable bluntleaf spikemoss.
