Mosses

Plant family

- others -

Cultivation Break

Season Overview

Details

Light requirement

Semi-shaded

Water requirement

Moist

Soil

Medium (loamy)

Nutrient requirement

Low

Light germinator

Germination temperature

15 - 20 °C (Degrees Celsius)

Plant distance

1 cm

Row spacing

1 cm

Seeding depth

0.1 cm

Instructions

Description

Distribution: Mosses grow wherever moisture, low light, or nutrient poverty displaces other plants. Common locations: • Forests (forest floors, tree bark, dead wood) – many species such as cypress sleep moss or golden hair moss • Bogs – especially sphagnum mosses, which build entire ecosystems and store CO₂ • rocks, walls, roofs – pioneer species such as cushion moss or silver birch moss • bodies of water – spring moss and other aquatic species in streams and lakes • tundra and polar regions – mosses dominate there because they can still photosynthesize at low temperatures • Deserts – only sporadically, but surprisingly resilient; some species even grow under quartz gravel. Characteristics: Like ferns and lichens, mosses are non-flowering spore-bearing plants that reproduce through alternation of generations, i.e., the life cycle and reproduction of moss plants always consists of two successive generations, which also differ in appearance. Mosses grow only a few centimeters tall and do not have roots, but rather thread-like cells (rhizoids). The rhizoids do not serve to conduct water but have a purely structural function. The water balance of mosses is determined by the humidity of their surroundings, meaning they can only absorb water from the air or through precipitation and, due to the lack of a water-conducting system in roots, cannot absorb it from the soil. Mosses, like ferns and lichens, are among the oldest living plants on Earth: they can live for several thousand years, as evidenced by a find of approximately 10,000-year-old crustose moss in Antarctica in 1981. Worldwide, bryology, the science of mosses, recognizes about 16,000 different moss species, of which just over 1,100 occur in Europe. Mosses can be divided into three major groups or divisions based on their growth form and structure, as follows: • Hornmosses (Anthocerotophyta) • Leaf mosses (Bryophyta) • Liverworts (Marchantiophyta) Hornworts are rarely found in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in the form of the genera Anthoceros or Notothylas. Most other species of hornworts are native to tropical climates. Interesting Fact: Despite their names, the tree moss (Pseudevernia furfuracea), oak moss (Evernia prunastri), and Iceland moss (Cetraria islandica), also known as Lichen Islandicus, are not moss species, but lichens. Irish moss (Chondrus crispus) is also not a moss species, but an alga (a red alga) that is among the smallest plants on Earth. Likewise, star moss (Sagina subulata), contrary to its name, is not a moss species but belongs to the seed plants. Ecology: As the lowest layer of the substrate, mosses, along with fungi, sorrel, and sweetgale, play an important role in the ecosystem. This is whether as a habitat, a hiding place, or a food source for many insects, reptiles, and small animals like mice or hedgehogs. Many moss species are also important for storing and slowly releasing large amounts of water in heathlands, bogs, forests, and meadows during rainfall, as mosses can store many times their own weight in dew and rainwater. Without the high absorbency of moss, surface water would run off more quickly instead of slowly seeping into the soil. The soil would be gradually washed away by rain, leading to soil erosion. Furthermore, many moss species are able to filter nutrients from precipitation and make them available to their environment. In the wild, mosses grow on rocks, stones, wood, and the bark of broadleaf, conifer, or fruit trees without harming them as parasites. For this reason, moss should not be removed from plants or garden trees. An exception is the maintenance of fruit trees, where loose parts of the bark are removed along with lichens and mosses so that pests cannot settle underneath. Mosses are natural indicator plants and bioindicators that can show pollutants in the environment and ecosystem: examples include the over-acidification of soils and bodies of water, the sulfur content in the air, or especially heavy metals. Compared to seed plants or ferns, mosses react more quickly to environmental pollution because they have no roots and can absorb pollutants from the air or through precipitation very effectively with their relatively large surface area relative to their mass and size. Due to intensive forestry and agriculture, which involve the removal of dead wood, the reduction of wetlands, pollutant emissions, and the lowering of the groundwater table, many mosses are threatened in their existence. They are therefore protected by law. Medical Use: Due to its disinfecting (antiseptic) healing properties, peat moss is used in medicine and naturopathy for peat baths and peat packs. Many mosses can also reduce or deactivate microorganisms like bacteria and fungi. For this reason, they were formerly used as wound dressings and for making wound ointments. In the Middle Ages, they were even used as toilet paper and diapers. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), many moss species are used as medicinal herbs and plants due to their antimicrobial properties. A moss tincture is made from them, which is said to be beneficial for sore throats, tonsillitis, and ear infections. Furthermore, in TCM, mosses are believed to have a healing effect on skin diseases and skin damage such as eczema or burns. Fragrant Garden Although, unlike flowering plants, they do not produce essential oils to attract insects, there are mosses that have specific scent compounds (terpenoids) that make them well-suited for a fragrant experience in a scent garden. • Fragrant Liverwort (Lophocolea heterophylla) Intense, spicy, valerian-like. Most impressive for visitors. • Fountain Liverwort (Marchantia polymorpha) Strong, spicy-earthy, mushroom-like. Very characteristic and easily noticeable. • Thujamoos (Thuidium tamariscinum) An intense forest aroma, resinous-coniferous. Very pleasant and easily recognizable. • Cypress Moss (Hypnum cupressiforme) The scent is earthy, slightly resinous, mushroomy, and woody. The aroma of this fragrant moss is reminiscent of a coniferous forest and is perceived as more subtle than a classic moss scent. • Women's Hair Moss (Polytrichum commune) The scent is fresh, grassy, and tea-like. The smell is subtle to neutral compared to liverworts, and the visual impression of the scented moss outweighs its fragrance. • Sphagnum Mosses (Peat Mosses) The scent is mild, peaty, somewhat sweet, and slightly medicinal. The smell is reminiscent of damp peat bog or humus. This fragrant moss has a strong preserving effect and was formerly used as a wound dressing because of its humic acids and this smell, as well as its antibacterial properties. The fragrance of these mosses usually only appears when they are crushed or when they are wet. Mosses are pioneer plants; they can be found in extreme locations and have been the first plants to colonize new harsh environments since ancient times, such as clay soil, rocky ground, or scorched earth. Certain mosses can even survive extreme drought for several years—even in cold temperatures—by entering a type of dormancy. As soon as moisture is available again in the environment, the moss awakens (like Sleeping Beauty) and resumes its growth. Mosses are also pioneer plants because, unlike vascular plants, they can perform photosynthesis even at very low temperatures and with little light. The moss shares its properties as a soil pioneer with lichen, which, as a pioneer plant, can colonize extreme habitats like high-altitude rocks and break them down with its lichen acid. Economic Use: Many mosses have antibacterial, antifungal, or snail-repelling properties and are therefore suitable as alternative plant protection agents. Of all moss species, sphagnum mosses are of particular economic importance, as they are used in gardens and nurseries to loosen and improve the water-holding capacity of the soil. Sphagnum is also used as potting soil and a growing medium for container and potted plants because roots develop particularly well in it. This is because sphagnum, or peat, Sphagnum moss can store a particularly large amount of water, which is why it is also used as a substrate for transporting plants. In the past, moss species such as hanging moss, sphagnum moss, and bog moss were used for their strong swelling effect when wet as a material to waterproof log houses or wooden boats. Until the 20th century, peat was also an important fuel in industry and for the railroad. Some types of moss, such as white moss, are used for decorating architectural models and in model railroading. Mosses are also cultivated in aquariums, such as the Javan moss (Taxiphyllum barbieri), native to Southeast Asia, Christmas moss (Vesicularia montagnei), or Willow moss (Fontinalis antipyretica). In nature-inspired aquarium design (aquascaping), these species are used not only for the aesthetic arrangement of rocks and roots but also serve ecological functions: they improve water quality by absorbing nutrients or, as dense mats, provide an indispensable habitat and spawning ground for fish and shrimp in the aquarium.

Growing tips

🌞 Location & soil Mosses are not tied to a single location, but use a wide range of habitats - the decisive factors are humidity, microclimate and a suitable substrate. - Shady to semi-shady - Cool to moderately warm - Soil, dead wood, bark, stones, rocks, walls, roofs, water, bogs - low in nutrients, rich in humus, mineral, acidic to alkaline - permanently moist to episodically dry 🌱 Planting - Spores: tiny spores are ejected from spore capsules. These spread over a large area and germinate on moist, suitable substrates. - Division: Remove a piece of moss and place it on a new substrate. - "Inoculation": chop up the moss, mix with water and spread on the substrate (even growth on stone, wood or soil) - Actively "planted": place on suitable substrate and keep conditions stable. - They do not need soil, but adhere to stone, wood, bark or soil. - Constant moisture is important, especially in the first few weeks. - In the garden, they are suitable as ground cover, lawn substitutes or for shady areas. - Indoors, they only last in closed containers (bottle garden, terrarium). - Optimal planting period: April to September (15-20°C) 💧 Care - Watering: water regularly, rainwater, No waterlogging, compacted soil possible - Remove weeds, leaves and needles - Fertilization: none - No soil cultivation - Protection from direct sunlight ❄️ Winter protection Mosses are among the most cold-resistant land plants. Many species can survive at temperatures far below freezing because they are allowed to freeze without their cells being destroyed. 🌿 Good neighbors - Plants must tolerate low levels of nutrients. - They must not grow too tall. - They should not form dense root systems. - They must like moisture. - They must not shade or overgrow mosses. - Ferns, forest grasses, sedges, liverworts, wood anemones, woodruff, dwarf funcias (woodland bed) - Rushes, cotton grass, broom heather, bog lily, carnivorous plants (bog bed) - Saxifrage, thyme, sedum, dwarf grasses (rock garden) - Japanese maple, ferns, dwarf bamboo, holly (Japanese garden) - Primula, violets, crocuses, snowdrops, lily of the valley, star moss (ornamental garden) 🚫 Bad neighbors - Lawn and ornamental grasses, sunflowers - Funkias, asters, phlox, large ferns, mint - Ivy, periwinkle, golden strawberries, chokecherry, guelder rose - Nettle, lupine, dahlias, roses, geraniums, clover - Lavender, thyme, oregano, rosemary, sedum - Steppe and prairie plants 🍂 Diseases - Fungal infestation - Algae growth 🐌 Pests - Springtails - fungus gnats - birds - Snails