Lichen Lovers

We are devoted to growing and loving lichens, and have created this web site to share our growth formulas and methods.

Slow Growth?

Have you been told that "it is practically impossible to grow lichens", or that "lichens grow very, very slowly", or that "lichens only grow 0.5 to 500 mm per year". Here at lichen lovers we don't always believe everything that we read in popular culture. Our experience is that given the right conditions that a satisfying growth of lichens can be realized in months or years, and not in decades or centuries. 500 mm per year, that's almost 2 feet!!! Sheesh. Even simple things like misting a rock with distilled water once a week in the late evening or early morning can do wonders for the lichen community growing on a rock. Don't spray your lichens with municipal drinking water, the chlorine and florine in the water are poisonous to lichens, and the tiny amounts of copper that leach out of water pipes don't do them any favors.

Pollution

Are you worried about acid-rain pollution harming your lichens? Plant them on limestone, dolomite, or travertine. The carbonates in the stone will neutralize much of the acid-rain.

Photographs

We have uploaded some lichen photographs to our image gallery.

If you love lichens, here are some activities for you:

• Choose a tree or rock and count how many different kinds of lichens are growing on it.
• Look around and notice that lichens grow everywhere.
• Get a 10X magnifying glass that you can carry in your pocket so you can look more closely at the lichens that surround us.
• Pick up a common lichen rock or branch and move it to a similar environment at least 100 miles away.
• Place a few small lichen covered rocks on top of new stone walls.
• Spray a rock or tree with a solution consisting of a pint of milk and 1/8 teaspoon of water soluble fertilizer.
• Make the Magnificent Lichen Growth Formula and apply it to a rock or tree where you'd like lichens to grow.
• Participate in our lichen exchange.