Growing Problems of Peacock Spike Moss

It Will Not Tolerate Full Sun or Dry Soil

• The peacock spike moss requires at least 50 percent shade. Also, the soil in which it grows must be moist at all times. If you expose it to warm, direct sun, it will become burned and can die. Also, if the soil dries out, portions of the plant will wither, turn yellow and later die.

Too Much Fertilizer Can Kill It

• When you fertilize this delicate little plant, do so lightly. Use a balanced fertilizer, such as one having an N-P-K ratio of 10-10-10 (percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium). Dilute it to half the strength the plant food label recommends and feed it once a week from spring through late summer. Do not fertilize this plant during winter.

Waterlogged Soil Is Not a Friend

• Although the peacock spike moss prefers its soil to remain moist, it will not respond well to soil that is excessively wet. If you want to grow this plant as a groundcover under trees, the shade provides the appropriate amount of light, but if the soil does not drain quickly and the plant remains in standing water for prolonged periods, the peacock spike moss will suffer from wilted leaves, which might not recover when the soil becomes moist and the waterlogged condition disappears.

Fungal Diseases Can Afflict It

• The fungi known as Phytophthora and Pythium can attack the peacock spike moss. They impact the plant’s vascular system and cause wilting of the leaves and stems. These diseases generally occur in areas with standing water, so be sure to grow your peacock spike moss in soil that drains quickly after rain or irrigation. The University of California UC IPM website reports that spraying the leaves of afflicted plants with the fungicide fosetyl-al can be helpful in controlling both Phytophthora and Pythium infections.