Moss is a simple type of plant that lacks roots, the plant is anchored by means of threadlike structures called rhizoids. It also lacks stems, and leaves. The name Moss refers to any species of the class Bryopsida that is part of the division Bryophyta. Bryophyta means the first green land plants to develop during the known evolutionary process... -MORE- Moss is thought to have evolved from very primitive vascular plants. Moss is not known to have given rise to any other kind of plant, an evolutionary dead end of sorts.
Because moss lacks traditional vascular structures of true leaves, stems, and roots, its growth is limited to moist locations, since their cells must absorb water directly from the air or the ground, moist locations suit them well. Moss also absorbs the nutrients it needs from the air, not from the ground as most plants do. An interesting side note to consider is that without water, fertilization cannot occur in mosses.

Moss grows almost everywhere, except under the sea. Except for Sphagnum peat moss, moss is generally of little use to humans with the exception of bonsai for soil covering and in gardening. The Japanese have been gardening with Moss for many years and Moss gardening is slowly catching on in other countries. Moss is also of little use to animals, although it is sometimes eaten in times of famine.

Other plants that are not related to moss can share the name moss. This includes club moss, flowering moss, carrageen, reindeer moss, and Spanish moss. The Japanese have gardened with moss for centuries. Valued for its reduced need for watering, its greenness is considered to add a feeling of lushness and serenity to Japanese gardens.

We as bonsaists use moss to add a dimension to our bonsai that helps with the overall visual illusion. We put it on to the soil surface to give the illusion of grass, plants, and such growing in scale under the tree. A little known fact about moss is that mosses leech minerals into the soil when watered. This benefit however is often negated by the fact that moss, if allowed, will make a shield on the surface that water will not penetrate. It can also create a barrier, trapping in moisture and not allowing the soil to dry out. This is the reason that most people will recommend that moss only be applied to the surface of the soil a few weeks before showing the bonsai and removed immediately afterwards.

Moss can be left on your soil year around if some simple precautions are taken. Always leave spaces between the pieces to allow for water penetration and evaporation, never butt up the pieces tightly. A good rule is to cover no more than 75% of the soil surface with moss. Try also not to run the moss right up to the pots edge, leaving the rim area free while ending the moss naturally at this point will look much better.

Be careful with pines and most conifers as most are dry loving trees. If your moss on these is green and healthy, chances are that you are watering too much. I have had some success keeping healthy moss on a Scots Pine by watering as normal but also lightly misting the moss on a daily basis. Vance Wood keeps his “Silver Moss” growing on the soil of his award winning Mugho Pine year around. Mugho’s do like a little wetter soil than most pines, which could be the reason for his success.

In the next installment of this article I will post pictures, information, and a pictorial on how I cultivate moss in my area and how I apply it to bonsai. I will also give you my recipes and techniques for cultivating moss in easy to use sheets. After that, I will post pictures and a step by step pictorial on how I apply moss to a single bonsai and a forest.

Click here for PART 2: Moss 102


Links:

Moss Facts

What Is Moss?

Basic Moss Biology

Living With Mosses

Moss Acres



Will Heath

My parents warned me about people like you!

Hector,

If I only had a dollar for every time I've heard that.


Will

You mean that there are more than me who are suspiscous?

And at what stage are you going to sell cars, eat and sleep?

Nice article-looking forward to the next installments!

Mike

Eat? Sleep? I'm sorry, what are those?

Thanks Mike,


Will

Thanks Willmeister!

More links, in case Will missed something (which can happen when you are sleep-deprived )

http://www.unomaha.edu/%7Eabls/resources.html
http://scitec.uwichill.edu.bb/bcs/bl14apl/bryo1.htm
http://www2.una.edu/pdavis/bryophytes.htm

pootsie

Great links Pootsie! Thanks, having such references all in one place helps.


Will

I have a secret spot where I'm allowed to lift some of the lushest moss in the area. I lift it carefully, take it home, and place it carefully in a growing flat. I keep it in a shady moist place and use the intact pieces when I show something (which is rare.)

I have two or three accents that I use it with. The samples I use with accents came with their own naturally occurring plants. One has a fern and a couple blades of grass with it. One had a rounded leaf plant that's kind of cool too. If I ever produce a show quality native tree, that's what these accents will be good for, I think. Also, I have a couple of small hypertufa pots I made a few years ago. The moss seems to be able to handle the concrete without problems.

http://pictures.bonsaitalk.com/show...&cat=500&page=1

Looking forward to the next installments!

You forgot the best link of all

Thanks, Al