Marimo

Marimo (which literally means moss ball) is a very interesting aquatic plant. It is found within Lake Akan in Hokkaido, Japan and has been a protected species/national treasure in Japan since early 1920s.

Souvenir miniature Marimo balls could be acquired from hand rolling free floating filaments. But alas, I didn’t have the good fortune to travel all the way to Hokkaido to get one. Luckily, I somehow managed to find a Japanese shop in Taipei that sold Marimos. Due to budget constraints, and the hassle of transporting fragile glass containers containing water, I bought the smallest size available.

Now it sits comfortably on my table as a decorative ornament. Similar to a cactus, the Marimo requires only a little attention and care once a while. It thrives on low light conditions, prefect for a room plant. I only have to change the water twice a month.

Bottled and capped in a small glass container.

See the green round little ball on the left side of the container?

A better view of the Marimo.

Marimo on my desk. And no, I don't ever happen to pop up the cork and drink it accidentally.