# Green Reindeer Lichen (*cladonia arbuscula*)

The Green Reindeer Lichen is a fascinating plant that looks like tiny green trees! It grows in cool, damp places and is a favorite food for reindeer.

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** It lives in cold, northern forests and tundra regions.

![Green Reindeer Lichen](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Cladonia_arbuscula_01.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Nicolas Zea P., CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cladonia_arbuscula_01.jpg)

## Appearance

The Green Reindeer Lichen has a pale, grayish-green, highly branched, and intricate structure resembling a miniature shrub or coral. Its delicate, spongy texture makes it look like tiny frosty trees covering the ground.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Ascomycota
- **Class:** Lecanoromycetes
- **Order:** Lecanorales
- **Family:** Cladoniaceae
- **Genus:** Cladonia

## Interesting facts

- Archaeologists have found this lichen preserved in ancient Viking burial sites!
- Even though it looks like a plant, it doesn't have roots at all!
- Green Reindeer Lichen can absorb water directly from the air and dew!
- This amazing lichen grows only about 1-2 centimeters taller each year!

## Special abilities

- **Super Survivor:** Green Reindeer Lichen can dry out completely and rehydrate when moisture returns, helping it survive harsh, dry conditions.
- **Twin Power:** It's a partnership between a fungus and an alga, allowing it to make its own food and absorb nutrients.
- **Winter Feast:** Its bushy structure helps trap snow, protecting it and making it accessible food for animals in deep winter.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 3-10 cm
- **Spread:** 5-20 cm
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** Reindeer (*Rangifer tarandus*) — A vital winter food source in arctic regions.
- **Eaten by:** [Field Vole](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-vole) (*Microtus agrestis*) — Small rodents like voles graze on this lichen.
- **Symbiotic with:** Green Alga (*Trebouxia irregularis*) — The algal partner makes food for the lichen.

## Traits

- [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Green Reindeer Lichen?

Compare the cap shape, the underside, the stem and base, and whether the fungus grows on wood or soil. Some fungi have gills, others pores or teeth. A cap seen only from above often hides the most useful features. Mushroom Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Green Reindeer Lichen?

3-10 cm

### How wide does Green Reindeer Lichen spread?

5-20 cm

### Is Green Reindeer Lichen edible?

Yes

### Is Green Reindeer Lichen toxic?

None

### What is Green Reindeer Lichen's lifecycle?

Perennial

### Where is Green Reindeer Lichen usually found?

It lives in cold, northern forests and tundra regions.

## Where to spot

- [Denbigh Experimental Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/denbigh-experimental-forest) — North Dakota, US · Botanical Garden
- [Drewry Point Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/drewry-point-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park

## More Fungi

- [Field Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Button Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/button-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Portobello Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/portobello-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Shiitake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/shiitake) (*Lentinula*)

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Source: [Green Reindeer Lichen: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/green-reindeer-lichen)