The Best Sphagnum Moss for Topiaries

Characteristics

• Sphagnum moss is the live portion of peat moss. Sphagnum is sometimes referred to as sphagnum peat. It grows in wet, soggy areas with acidic soil. It has tiny, slightly toothed leaves that grow in tufts close to the stem. The light green, yellow, brown or deep red plants reach 4 inches in height. Mosses grow very close together to form a mat that floats on top of the moist soil.

Use

• Topiary is the craft of growing plants on wire structures to create living sculptures or shapes. Sphagnum cristatum or Sphagnum subnitens moss is pressed into the interior wire sculpture shape. Plants such as ivy, holly or myrtle are grown over the topiary structure and pruned to retain the wire shape. Sphagnum moss has the unique characteristic of retaining water to keep the topiary moist.

Plant Structure

• The capillary structure of Sphagnum cristatum and Sphagnum subnitens are tubes that absorb and retain water. They are flexible and can be squeezed out and refilled like a sponge. Sphagnum moss holds 20 to 30 times its weight in water. Bacteria are not able to survive its highly acidic environment, so decay is extremely slow.

Topiary

• Pliability and a highly absorptive capacity makes sphagnum mosses the best topiary sculpture material. Sphagnum cristatum has no root system but constantly absorbs water through its downward pointing branches and its stems. It does not decay and may live for centuries in the wild. Sphagnum moss for topiary may be repeatedly soaked and reused for many years.