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Polytrichum moss

Polytrichum commune

Also called Common Haircap, Common Haircap Moss, Common Hair Cap Moss

Polytrichum moss
Photo: Kristian Peters -- Fabelfroh 14:35, 21 October 2007 (UTC), CC BY-SA 3.0

Polytrichum commune, the common haircap moss, is a medium to large moss forming dense tufts in wet, humid habitats such as bogs, wet heaths and forest streams across temperate and boreal regions. It is grown mainly as a ground cover or for wet, shaded naturalistic gardens, and is not a typical houseplant.

Family
Polytrichaceae (Polytrich family)
Light
Part shade, Shade
Water
Keep the tufts consistently moist, as it naturally grows in wet bogs and along streams.
Soil
Moist, acidic, peaty or humus-rich soil or a damp organic substrate.
Temperature
Tolerates cold; suited to temperate and boreal climates. Hardy in cold winters.
How easy
Moderate
Safety
Not known to be toxic

About

Polytrichum commune (also known as common haircap, great golden maidenhair, great goldilocks, common haircap moss, or common hair moss) is a species of moss found in many regions with high humidity and rainfall. The species can be exceptionally tall for a moss with stems often exceeding 30 cm (12 in) and rarely reaching 70 cm (27.5 in), but it is most commonly found at shorter lengths of 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 in). It is widely distributed throughout temperate and boreal latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere and also found in Mexico, several Pacific Islands including New Zealand, and also in Australia. It typically grows in bogs, wet heathland and along forest streams. Additionally, class Polytrichopsida has been shown to thrive in partially open habitats that have been recently disturbed by human activities or even livestock.

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Polytrichum commune by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

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