Moss Plants: Shade Garden Favorite an Alternative to Lawns

From David Beaulieu

Plant Taxonomy of Mosses: There are various types of mosses, and their plant taxonomies differ. A couple of examples are Sphagnum cymbifolium for sphagnum moss and Polytrichum juniperinum for haircap moss.

Plant Type for Moss: Because they are low-growing and can form dense mats, moss plants can be considered an alternative ground cover for landscaping and planted as "shade gardens" in lieu of traditional lawns.

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones for Mosses: Varies, depending on moss type. Many mosses are quite hardy, but Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) is a plant of the South, grown in zones 9-11.

Characteristics of Moss Plants: Ground moss plants are low-growing. Some mosses, massed together, give a smooth appearance, including rock cap mosses (Dicranum), fern mosses (Thuidium) and the aptly named "cushion" mosses (Leucobryum). Other moss plants have a relatively spikier appearance, including haircap moss and sphagnum moss. Both types can be used in shade gardens, depending on the look you're trying to achieve.

Unusual Attributes of Moss Plants: Moss plants do not possess true roots. Instead, mosses derive their nutrients and moisture from the air.

Sun and Soil Requirements for Moss Plants: Most mosses require shady spots, making them ideal constituents of shade gardens. They also like moisture. Many moss species not only tolerate, but require compaction in the soil beneath them -- just the opposite of most specimens sold at nurseries. Moss plants like a soil with a pH that is acidic (5.0 - 5.5).

How to Get Rid of Moss Plants in Lawns: Many people consider moss plants to be weeds, when found in their lawns. If you wish to get rid of moss, it is easy enough to do so. Its very presence in your lawn sends a clear signal as to what your lawn is lacking. Simply provide your lawn with what it is lacking, and you'll be able to cultivate grass in the areas now occupied by moss (except for shady spots). Provide your lawn with the following:

• core aeration
• Fertilizer
• lime to raise soil pH

Common Misconception About Moss Plants: Sphagnum moss is not the same thing as "sphagnum peat moss," although both are harvested for use in the greenhouse trade. Sphagnum moss is harvested live. Nurseries use it as the "chinking" for hanging wire baskets. Sphagnum peat moss is harvested as dead material at the bottom of peat bogs. Sold by the bag, it is mixed into soil to improve aeration and water retention.

Domestic Uses for Moss Plants: Some domestic uses for moss plants are suggested by nature. In the woods, "rock cap" mosses are just that, serving as tight-fitting caps for boulders. Not surprisingly, the idea is carried over into rock gardening. Shady spots in the woods are often home to moss plants, suggesting their use on the landscape in shade gardens. Moss plants, in general, require not only a shady spot, but also moisture, making them a natural choice for the perimeter of a water feature on the landscape.

With its emphasis on minimalism rather than showy blooming plants, Japanese gardening easily accomodates moss plants, as do the "wild" or "natural" landscapes that are growing in popularity among Westerners. But any shady spots of the landscape traversed via stone walkways or patios are fitting for mosses. Moss plants can be grown in between the cracks of the stonework, thereby functioning not only as a decorative element, but also as a living "mulch" of sorts.

Finally, moss plants can be used as an alternative to lawn grass in shady spots, where grass refuses to grow. Considering how often moss grows in lawn areas problematic for grass, it readily suggests itself as just such an alternative. Most lawn grasses have difficulty with the very conditions in which mosses thrive:

• Soils with an acidic pH
• Soils that are compacted
• Shady spots -- which are ideal candidates for conversion into shade gardens!