Yep, you read that right. Have you heard of marimos?
At a Christmas party over the weekend, I got one in a gift exchange. Although, when I first pulled the mason jar full of water out of a gift bag, the room was dark, and I was pretty sure someone had given me a dead fish!
I read the accompanying card (and managed to get to better light) and discovered that I was the proud owner of a marimo, and they are awesome!
Marimo basically means seaweed ball in Japanese. They are a technically a ball of algae that's alive and will grow up to a half of an inch per year.
These little fuzzy green balls are prized in Japan, and since they live so long, they actually will be passed down as heirlooms. They are thought to be symbols of everlasting love and to bring good luck.
I'm thrilled that they seem to be a fairly easy plant to care for (even for me!). Basically, you have to change the water every 1-2 weeks and keep it out of direct sunlight.
All in all, a super unique and interesting gift!
Image via Doodle Birdie check out their beautiful Marimo Terrariums on Etsy!
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