Mosses are some of the oldest and most drought resistant plants on earth.
Known as bryophytes, mosses are classified into the plant division Bryophyta, which is estimated to contain more than 18,000 identified bryophyte species.
Dating back over 450 million years, bryophytes are considered by botanists to be some of the oldest plants in existence. More advanced vascular plants like ferns didn’t appear on earth until about 50 million years later.
Mosses source water and nutrients from the outside versus from the ground and reproduce by growing spores instead of producing blooms and seeds.
Instead of vascular structures like leaves, stems and roots mosses have rhizoids, root-like appendages that anchor them in place.
Want to bring the outdoors indoors?
A moss bath mat is the perfect way to grow moss indoors and enjoy the pillowy soft feel of live moss beneath your feet. For a DIY Moss Mat like mine in the photo to the right all you’ll need is 1 silicone mat & some live moss which you can order or collect.
gardening
Found in wet spots like shady forests and alongside creek beds, live moss plants for indoor growing can either be hunted down and harvested in nature or purchased at a store.
Researchers recommend you get your hands dirty and touch some soil while harvesting your moss.
Mosses usually grow close together in clumps or mats and can be found throughout most parts of the worls including the arctic.
In addition to being free, this method assures that the moss you obtain is suited to your local climate and therefore able to grow, thrive and spread just the way you need it to.
To prevent bacteria growth and kill existing organisms, you can pour boiling water over the container and/or base you plan on using. However, I have yet to sterilize my planting surface prior to moss gardening and have not suffered any of the consequences that gardening guides warn you about.
Your moss garden can be a container with rocks or soil, a silicone mat with sides, a porous rock, or even a piece of wood. As long as your moss plants receive plenty of water and daylight the moss encasement possibilities are endless. If you’re using a container with soil, lining the container’s base with a thin layer of activated charcoal atop a layer of rocks will aid in maintaining soil health and proper moisture levels. The charcoal will work to remove toxins and help prevent mold or mildew while the rocky bottom layer will promote drainage.
Keep your indoor moss garden in an area with plenty of daylight as mosses require it for photosynthesis.
Provide adequate hydration and humidity by watering or liberally hydrating with a spray bottle. Mosses like areas with high humidity such as bathrooms.
benefits
Mosses can help stabilize room moisture levels to maintain a relative humidity of between 40 and 60 percent.
When humidity rises above 17 grams/cu. meter, moss will absorb moisture from the air.
When humidity drops below 12 grams/cu. meter mosses humidify the air by releasing moisture back into the environment.
This moss humidification method is especially useful when humidity drops during flu season. Research shows that influenza is most likely to spread at humidity levels below 10 grams/cu. meter.
Frequently asked questions about moss
Yes, like all plants that undergo photosynthesis, moss uses sunlight for energy.
Scientists estimate that there are approximately 12,000 species of moss classified in the Bryophyta plant division and about 1,000 of those can be found in the United States.