Chlorella (Chlorella vulgaris)
Scientific Name: Chlorella vulgaris — Green Microalga.
Native Home: Freshwater environments worldwide.
Height: Microscopic, typically 2–10 micrometres per cell.
Lifespan: Rapidly reproducing microalga; growth cycles can occur within days under suitable conditions.
Uses and Harvesting
Timber: Not applicable.
Harvesting: Algal cells are separated from culture water by filtration or centrifugation.
Age to Harvest: Approximately 5–14 days for a culture to build up biomass, depending on conditions.
Products: Algae powder, dietary supplements, aquaculture feed, and research biomass.
History and Global Production
Traditional Use: Not a major traditional food historically; it became commercially important as a cultivated microalga during the 20th century.
Global Spread: Produced commercially in countries including Japan, Taiwan, China, and other regions with algae-processing industries.
