LIVE SPHAGNUM MOSS: Mixed Species (Mostly Red)

• Live Sphagnum moss is now available in South Africa!
• On offer, is one sample portion live sphagnum moss to get you started on your own live sphagnum moss culture (Follow the guideline in the Growing Tips tab)
• 1 portion includes 10 live moss growth points (heads) - See sample size reference above
• Perfect as a top dressing for tropical pitcher plants, sun pitchers, cobra lilies, sundews, some orchids and other bog and wetland plants

• For aesthetic reasons live sphagnum moss is perfect as a colourful topdressing and are often used as growing medium for nepenthes, sun pitchers, cobra lilies, sundews, some orchids and other bog and wetland plants
• Sphagnum moss is generally slow growing and easily distinguished from other mosses by its habit of growth, its soft thick fullness (each head resembling a full and elaborate bloom of edelweiss), and is available in various colours - mostly variations of green, brown or red
• Moss is not dependent on soil water and as is laden throughout with water retaining cells, thus absorbs moisture from the atmosphere (high humidity)
• Live sphagnum moss has lots of anti-fungal properties and once you have a steady culture growing, add portions as a topdressing on tropical pitcher plants, heliamphora, darlingtonia or tall growing sundews
• Sphagnum moss can be planted in your bog area around your fish pond, added to a waterfall area to filter out the water or add it to your biological filter and watch it grow
• Live sphagnum moss thrives in humid environments and would also be and excellent companion in a terrarium or vivarium with carnivorous plants or amphibians

Please note that this image is intended for size reference only and depending on species, actual colours may differ 

• Tips on growing your own live sphagnum moss culture:

• Sphagnum thrives in a cool humid environment with lots of diffused, bright light 
• In our experience, red sphagnum moss in particular prefers warm, humid days with a nightly temperature drop of 10-15 degrees. New heads will start out dark red-green and the red colour will improve and intensify within a couple of months
• Give it high humidity. Live moss cultures work well on sunny windowsills in a covered plastic food container - add some ventilation holes to the lid or sides
• Use a container with drainage holes and add a layer of large-size perlite, leca clay or course washed gravel to the bottom for drainage
• Moisten and sterilise the growing substrate. We prefer using shredded long fiber sphagnum moss mixed with perlite for drainage as the substrate, but sphagnum peat moss will work too
• You'll receive a watertight container (see sample size) with 10 live moss growth points / head (also known as coma) - bury the moss slightly with the top of the growth point still visible
• Using sphagnum peat as a substrate may cause tannins to build up in the soil which will blacken the tips of the moss.  Flood cultures with distilled water, once a week to remove tannins and other impurities
• Using distilled- or reverse osmosis water, top mist the moss every couple of days - extreme clean water is key
• In general, most sphagnum moss species are slow-growing.  Be patient.  Under optimal conditions, the moss will grow into longer strands over time. To multiply, snip the heads off the longer strands and replant them in the same container in a different spot.  After a couple of months, these samples will in turn be tall enough to trim and the process is repeated 
• Most live sphagnum moss species prefer cooler temperatures and might start to brown if too hot and wet, or present with dried (white) growing tips (heads) if too dry
• For fluffy moss, do not keep it in standing water

** Packed to order - pre-ordering online is essential **