The Environmental Impact of Moss

What are Moss Landscaping Benefits?

When someone mentions landscaping, most people think about grass, terraces, flowers, trees, and shrubs. They often forget the unique advantages of one of the hidden gems of the gardening world: moss

Moss is versatile, inexpensive, easy to grow, and surprisingly beautiful, offering many environmental advantages. Moss thrives in shade but can easily tolerate some filtered sunlight.

Here are some reasons to consider this flexible green cushion-like plant.

Moss Is Easy To Grow

Moss is easy to grow and often grows where grass won't. Like the fern, moss is perfectly happy in heavy shade and on the north side of your house. While it prefers shade, moss won't die if exposed to sunlight.

Moss is low-maintenance. The only thing it truly needs is that you keep it clear of debris. It doesn't need mowing, trimming, fertilizer or pesticides. While moss likes wet soil, you don't have to water it too often once it's matured. It can go a long time in dry conditions. Thirsty moss will go dormant, and its green color will fade but not entirely disappear. When it rains, it perks up within hours.

Moss tolerates a wide variety of pH levels and doesn't have to be rooted on flat soil. You can use it on walls, rocks, and roofs. It holds itself in place with thin, root-like projections called rhizoids.

Moss Is Beautiful and Looks Magical

Moss is versatile and stays lush and green all year round. It's a beautiful garden staple in shady and humid areas.

If you've never looked closely at moss, you may not have noticed how many varieties there are. Garden centers in the US carry over 34 species! The most appealing types include carpet moss, cushion moss, sheet moss, hair cap moss, and tree moss.

Lush, green moss is bright and vibrant. You can use it to cover large areas primarily by itself, with perhaps a fern added here and there. Moss can create accents in a flower garden. It can also cover small garden structures for a topiary effect.

The moss green is associated with peace, serenity, and hope. The addition of moss has a settling effect in a lively garden, a stillness amid the energy of the flowering plants. Nothing, either natural or artificial, looks quite like it.

Even when moss goes dormant, it retains some color, and the texture adds interest and character to any outdoor space. It's instrumental in maintaining a garden's beauty over the winter months.

Moss Is an Environmental Hero

A mossy garden doesn't require fertilizer or weed killer. Moss keeps weeds at bay, and you don't have to run a lawnmower over it.

Moss is good for the soil. Its rhizoids hold soil particles together. In a damp or rainy garden, it absorbs up to ten times its weight in water and prevents erosion.

Moss not only absorbs water, it absorbs toxins as well. Sheet, cushion, and other mosses will thrive in areas too polluted for other plants.

You probably don't have a toxic waste site in your backyard, but many homeowners have areas that retain standing water. These can breed bacteria and mosquitoes and can also diminish the quality of the air around them, or smell bad. Moss will absorb the excess water in a low-lying area and make it look better. Wet moss grows fast and can perform a cleansing in a reasonably short time frame.

Beauty, versatility, ease of maintenance, environmental friendliness: what's not to like about moss? Take advantage of this hardworking green beauty when planning your next landscaping upgrade.

Shop Our Moss Selection

Visit our online shop for a wide selection of plants and trees, or come say hi at our store location in Tennessee! We offer fast shipping nationwide so you can start transforming your garden today!

If you have any questions about moss or if you have any other plant needs, don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected], we’d love to hear from you!

Carpet Moss - TN Nursery

Carpet Moss

Carpet Moss is a thick, dense, low-growing, and lush green moss species commonly found in shaded, damp environments, forming a dense carpet-like ground cover. It grows densely, creating a low-lying, velvety mat that adds a touch of tranquility to any garden or landscape. It is a versatile and aesthetically pleasing species offering numerous landscaping benefits. It primarily serves as a natural ground cover and an attractive addition to various outdoor spaces in landscaping. Carpet Moss Creates Dense Carpets of Greenery Carpet moss gets its name from its ability to create thick, soft stretches. As it grows across the soil, it makes a charming look reminiscent of high-quality mats. It only grows to one inch in height, so it always has a low, uniform look. It clusters together into such tightly packed mats that you often cannot see the soil underneath, making it an ideal ground cover option. Its rich, emerald green shades help a property look as lively and appealing as possible. It tends to look like a lush, green rug from far away. However, if you look closely at this plant, you'll notice that it consists of dense clusters of small plants. Tiny, feathery fronds peek out of the plant, creating a subtle texture that adds visual appeal to your landscape. Mature can include a blend of bright green, newer stalks, and golden brown, older stalks. All these gentle variations in hue allow it to look even more vibrant and attractive in your yard. How to Landscape With Carpet Moss It is one of the most exciting and versatile plants for a landscape. Some property owners find it can entirely replace grass and create a lush lawn. It is also a charming addition to garden features. Consider setting it between checkerboard pavers to create a life-size chessboard or adding it to a rock garden to create a magical forest appearance. The unique structure of it even allows it to grow over boulders and tree stumps, so landscapers aren't just limited to patches of earth. Adding a whimsical, organic look to your rocks or trees can create a charming pop of green on your property. Enjoy Carpet Moss Throughout the Year As an evergreen perennial, Carpet Moss looks stunning at any time of year. Even in winter, it continues to appear soft and carpet-like. It always maintains its bright, emerald green, and golden brown shades, so your property looks lush and colorful even when other plants are dormant. Moss Helps Improve Air Quality Moss produces oxygen through photosynthesis. During photosynthesis, moss absorbs carbon dioxide and water, using sunlight to convert them into glucose and oxygen. This process helps to improve air quality and contributes to the oxygen levels in the atmosphere, playing a role in maintaining the balance of gases in the environment, especially in shaded and damp areas where it thrives.

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Cushion Moss - TN Nursery

Cushion Moss

Cushion moss is a low-growing, densely matted plant that forms a lush green ground cover in shady, moist environments. It's a versatile evergreen ground cover with numerous air-cleaning benefits. Its distinctive formation and adaptability make it a favored choice for enhancing outdoor spaces in water gardens and features, shade, and damp areas. Cushion Moss Has Breathtaking Looks Cushion Moss grows in thick, pillow-shaped mounds that are at least as big as a pincushion. These mounds can grow up to a foot in diameter. The new stems are long and pointed in winter or late autumn. Their beaked, blunt end caps and golden to reddish brown shades are telltale signs of maturity. They are vibrant green and also form dense, round cushions. They can split off and grow into new plants, a process known as fragmentation, which helps with asexual reproduction. This is how the plant can cover such a large area so fast. The dense foliage that this form provides shelter and protection to various animals and tiny organisms. They retain moisture, creating ideal microclimates for insects, spiders, and other invertebrates. These microclimates help to build more significant habitats for larger species. They even act as a thick layer of insulation, reducing the impact of severe temperatures and creating a steady habitat for creatures who live on or under it. Because of their insulating qualities and gentle texture, they are a favored nesting material for many tiny animals and birds. They absorb pollutants from the air, making them excellent natural air purifiers. Tiny, hair-like structures known as rhizoids and papillae cover the surface, serving as a net for airborne dust and catching it on the surface. The structure then uses capillary action and microbial processes to digest and decompose the particles after they are within it. They also have bacteria that can transform pollution into usable biomass. Get Rid of Weeds With Cushion Moss It is an excellent weed suppressor because it can form a physical barrier, release allelopathic chemicals, and shade the soil. Their enhanced ability to better compete with weeds for nutrients also contributes to their weed suppression abilities. In addition to stabilizing the dirt and stopping plant colonization, their thick growth habit further prevents weed seed germination. Cushion Moss, also known as a pincushion, is a type of low-growing plant that is very densely packed together. Its primary role is to serve as an evergreen covering over the ground, offering numerous cleansing benefits for the air. It’s highly adaptable to various gardens and landscapes and naturally welcoming and inviting. Beyond its lush appearance, it also serves a primary role in the ecosystem of many frogs, insects, and spiders. It can help contribute to a healthy and vibrant garden. Officially called leucobryum glaucum, it is native to the forests of North America. It thrives the best in moist areas with plenty of shade but can do well with minimal sunlight. It also prefers soil that is a bit more sandy and less dense. You’ll most commonly find it in moist gardens, rock gardens, alongside pathways, or near water areas. It is instantly recognizable for its green color, which sometimes has a tint of blue. The drier it gets. However, the more the blue tint begins to fade, the lighter the green will become. In many ways, it is like nature’s carpet. It’s very soothing to step barefoot over and help you connect with nature. For this reason, its luxuriant appearance can turn a dull landscape into a pleasant and soothing one. What is the Appeal of Cushion Moss To Gardeners It offers many benefits for gardeners beyond its plush feel or verdant appearance. It acts as a natural mulch to keep weed growth to a minimum and help the soil beneath it retain moisture. This allows the soil in gardens to remain hydrated even during drought. Another benefit to it is how low maintenance it is. It only requires minimal pruning and watering to maintain its vibrancy. This makes it a good choice for those who want a lush landscape that doesn’t require much care. It is a low-maintenance plant that will help protect your soil, promote a healthy ecosystem, and create a welcoming environment for your landscape or garden.

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Sheet Moss - TN Nursery

Sheet Moss

Sheet Moss is a lush, low-growing species that forms a dense carpet of soft, emerald-green foliage. It is often used in terrariums, floral arrangements, and as a ground cover in shaded areas. It is one of the most favored types for lawns. It’s so named because it creates a ‘sheet’ over a garden or forest floor.   Beyond this dense sheet's luxurious and welcoming appearance and vibe, it also serves as the protecting home for various microfauna, including frogs, spiders, and insects. Many small ecosystems revolve around the layers of it on the forest floor, and gardeners seeking to add more biodiversity to their gardens should consider adding it to the ground of their gardens. Where Does Sheet Moss Grow Officially known as Hypnum curvifolium, it is a wide-ranging plant in every continent except Antarctica. It’s primarily found in temperature regions and adapts well to moist areas. You’ll commonly see it underneath logs or rocks, around tree trunks, or near natural water sources. You’ll usually find it around clay pots, stones, or artificial ponds in gardens. Sheet Moss Is Like A Thick Carpet It is most notable for its soft fronds forming a thick green carpet over a forest floor. The individual leaves are tiny and overlap, which helps create the plant’s soft and lavish texture and appearance. Laying down over it will be akin to laying down over nature’s version of a mattress. While the leaves are usually bright green, they will also develop a slight but noticeable yellow tint when moisture levels deplete or are under prolonged exposure to sunlight. Why is Sheet Moss A Good Choice For Gardeners Gardeners like it because it is adaptable. It can easily retain moisture to help hydrate the soil underneath and prevent erosion. People often add it to gardens and terrariums to help create an equally lush and inviting, suitable atmosphere. It also requires deficient maintenance and minimal pruning and watering. For this reason, many gardeners who want to make a green covering over the ground will turn to it over grass. It’s a suitable choice for experienced gardeners and those new to the hobby.  Grass is the traditional go-to for groundcover, but one should keep Sheet Moss in mind. Like this type, certain varieties form a lush sheet of green over the surface it inhabits. But much like any other plant, the reasons to grow this type of ground cover go far beyond what it offers aesthetically. Here's how this plant can benefit and enhance your landscape with ease. Are you looking for ground cover that grows better in your region and offers benefits for the surrounding environment? If so, this plant is an excellent choice. While it doesn't have a root system, it's still a fantastic plant that can defend against soil erosion and serve to control the flow of water better, leading to less flooding if you live in an area that experiences a lot of rain or a few unpredictable showers here and there during the winter and spring seasons. This plant loves moisture, so it's often recommended for regions where grass can't easily thrive. However, you can go beyond that and grow plants that love moisture on top of this plant as it retains moisture that your other plants will rely on to grow strong. You can even add it to potted plants for this purpose and to improve the aesthetics of items like bonsai trees. As we just touched upon, Sheet Moss loves moisture, but that doesn't mean it can't withstand conditions that might threaten the lives of other varieties. This variety is more complex, making it easier to keep alive once you spread it across your landscape. If you're looking for ground cover that enhances your space and will hold up over time, this is the one to choose.

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Haircap Moss - TN Nursery

Haircap Moss

  Haircap moss, also known as Polytrichum moss, is a type of moss belonging to the family Polytrichaceae. It is easily recognizable by its tall, upright stems and the hair-like structures (hence the name) on the caps of its sporophytes. Haircap moss is relatively tall for a moss, typically growing between 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 inches) but can sometimes reach up to 30 cm (12 inches). Haircap moss has tall, slender stems with narrow, blade-like leaves arranged in a spiral pattern. The sporophytes (structures that produce spores) are usually topped with a hair-like calyptra, giving the plant its distinctive appearance. Depending on the species and environmental conditions, The color of haircap moss can range from bright green to darker, almost reddish-brown. Haircap moss is a popular choice for moss gardens, particularly in Japanese and Zen gardens, because of its unique texture and vertical growth. Haircap Moss Uses Haircap moss is excellent for creating accent areas around rocks, trees, or water features. Its upright growth contrasts well with low-growing mosses and other garden elements. Because it can thrive in shaded areas where other plants struggle, it can help bring life to dimly lit spaces. As it resembles a forest floor, gardeners gravitate toward a wooded ambiance. It makes a great choice to add between stepping stones or along pathways to create a natural, soft border that blends with the garden environment. Haircap Moss Loves Shade It is an excellent option for shaded garden areas, as it doesn't need the sun to thrive, and its presence gives a woodsy vibe. Its gentle, verdant look promotes tranquility in any garden setting, creating a peaceful, serene atmosphere reminiscent of a forest grove. It's an excellent option for spaces that will be used for relaxation and contemplation. It also offers a naturalistic ground cover that easily blends with other woodland plants and ferns. It can also help surrounding plants maintain proper hydration levels, as it retains moisture in the soil where it's planted. It grows densely like a mat, binding soil particles together, which also helps control soil erosion. The moist environment it creates provides an ideal habitat for all kinds of microorganisms and small, beneficial insects. Hence, it's perfect for any garden looking to add biodiversity. It can help promote the health of a garden's ecosystem by promoting a balanced moisture cycle, and it helps other moisture-loving plants grow in shaded areas. Haircap Moss Needs Little To No Care Haircap Moss requires minimal maintenance to thrive, so it's ideal for gardeners who don't want to exert much daily effort tending to their garden landscape. It's also hearty and long-lasting. It provides year-round thick greenery without the need for replanting. To propagate, one method is to Carefully lift small sections of the moss, along with the soil or substrate it's growing on, and transplant these sections to the desired new area.

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Tree Moss - TN Nursery

Tree Moss

Tree moss refers to various species of mosses that grow on tree trunks, branches, and bark. While several types of mosses fall under this category, they are typically epiphytic, meaning they grow on the surface of trees but do not harm them. They obtain moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, and debris that accumulates around them. Tree moss provides a habitat for small invertebrates and adds biodiversity. This moss also functions as a natural air filter, absorbing pollutants and particulates. It helps retain moisture and stabilize microclimates around trees, aiding in the overall health of the forest. Tree Moss Uses Tree moss can be used in garden designs, especially in creating naturalistic or woodland gardens. Tree moss can create a lush, green, and aged appearance in gardens. Japanese and Zen gardens use it to symbolize tranquility and timeless beauty. It also works well around the bases of trees, rocks, and shaded areas, providing a natural, forest-like atmosphere. Tree Moss Can Protect Trees This plant acts as a stellar insulator for saplings, protecting them from external threats and even defending them against pollutants. If you've been looking for plants that can help you improve the biodiversity in your yard and protect other saplings and plants, these are a wonderful choice. Tree moss can help stabilize the soil around the roots of trees and on slopes. Its dense, mat-like growth habit prevents soil erosion and protects the ground from heavy rain or runoff. They do this with little competition for nutrients in the immediate area where they're growing. Air Quality Is Improved With Tree Moss One unique benefit is Tree Moss's ability to improve air quality. Because they sponge what they need from the air around them, they can reduce the amount of pollutants in an area, improving overall air quality so that you can enjoy your space easily. Tree moss adds a beautiful, natural aesthetic to trees and gardens, creating a sense of age and tranquility. With proper care and suitable conditions, it can enhance the visual and ecological value of any outdoor space.

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