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What Kind of Moss Do You Use to Plant a Staghorn Fern?

Staghorn ferns, also known as antelope ear and elk’s horn, are a diverse genus of ferns. The staghorn genus (Platycerium) includes 17 different species found across the globe in countries that include Australia, Bolivia, Madagascar, Peru, the Philippines and Singapore. In their natural environment, staghorn ferns are found living in trees. Known as epiphytes, or air plants, staghorns receive nutrition not from the trees upon which they grow, but from decaying leaves that have dropped from the trees. Such a natural habitat is why staghorn ferns prefer to be grown in open containers -- wire baskets are common -- lined with a loose, well-drained growing medium. There is some confusion about what type of moss should be used for growing staghorn ferns. Several types will work, and many horticulturists use a mix of mosses and other growing mediums.

  1. Sphagnum Moss

    • Sphagnum moss (Sphagnum spp.) is a common growing medium used for staghorn ferns. It is the living top layer of the bog. When living, sphagnum moss is green, yellow, pink or red; it turns gray after harvest and drying. Long and fibrous sphagnum moss is sold dried, either as bags of loose moss or as moss mats. The mats work well for lining wire baskets, because the moss is light and allows air to pass through it easily, and the mat sufficiently closes the open spaces in the wire basket. It is also spongy and holds large amounts of water, keeping the fern moist while still allowing ample airflow. Both of these characteristics are similar to what would be found in the fern’s natural habitat.

    Sphagnum Peat Moss

    • Often confused with sphagnum moss, sphagnum peat moss, or just peat moss, is the decomposed layer of sphagnum moss and other plants that lies beneath the living layer in a bog. It is brown and often sold in compressed bales. Peat moss can be added to the growing medium for a staghorn fern, but is too loose and crumbly to line an open wire basket. Peat moss is also valued for its sponge-like ability to hold water while still allowing air to pass through to plant roots.

    Environmental Concerns

    • The widespread use of sphagnum and peat mosses as planting mediums has met criticism because of possible negative impacts on bog environments. Some wetland ecologists worry that sphagnum and peat are being harvested at unsustainable rates. Sphagnum moss is slow growing, and bog layers form over hundreds or even thousands of years. Several alternatives to sphagnum and peat include a coconut processing byproduct known as coir, a sugarcane processing byproduct known as bagasse, compost, bark and rice hulls.

    Spanish Moss

    • Spanish moss is often used as a decorative mulch.

      Because of its gray color and long, fibrous appearance, Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) may be confused with sphagnum moss. While Spanish moss is often used in floral arrangements, it is not an ideal planting medium and its use is mainly decorative. Spanish moss is not a true moss; like the staghorn fern, Spanish moss is considered an epiphyte. It lives in trees and gathers the nutrients it needs from air and water. While it has some water-holding capacity, Spanish moss is not nearly as good at holding water as peat and sphagnum mosses are.

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