Found this at the weekend and bought as part of a birthday present for a friend. My first reaction was what…?! But I found myself fascinated with them. There are three in this jar and they’ll make babies! Here’s some info from tinterweb!
Marimo, a Japanese word that literally translates to “seaweed ball” are not moss at all - they’re actually a rare form of spherical algae. There’s no central stone or kernel inside the sphere - it’s solid algae, radiating from the center, growing radially outward at the snail’s pace of just 5mm per year. But in their natural habitats - few fresh water lakes in Japan, Estonia, Iceland, Scotland and Australia - they’ve been known to grow to between 8 and 12 inches in diameter!
Another reason to love Marimo moss balls is beautiful lore that surround these mysterious aquatics. Legend tells of two lovers who desired nothing more than to be together. When their love was forbidden, they fell into the water, and their hearts became Marimo balls. Marimo are said to bring your heart’s desire to both giver and receiver.
And of course, we love Marimo because they live forever. Well, not forever, but easily 100+ years. For this reason, we often joke that Marimo make wonderful family heirlooms.
