15 Best Types of Moss to Grow in Garden

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Last Updated: 19.10.2023
Dhruvdeep Singh
Written by
Meet Dhruv, a writer and nature lover from Amritsar, Punjab, who fell in love with gardening during the lockdown. With a B.Tech in Computer Science and over four years of writing experience, he brings a tech-savvy perspective to gardening. Dhruv's articles are a journey into the world of plants, offering exciting adventures for fellow nature enthusiasts.

Here are the Best Types of Moss you can grow in your garden to add a carpet of color and beauty to your yard! They also serve as a good alternative to grass.

With so many varieties available, picking moss for your garden can be confusing! Well, do not worry! We have selected the best Types of Moss that will help you choose the right one for your yard!

Check out the best types of hanging plants here


Best Types of Moss

1. Spoon Leaved Moss

Types of Moss
mountainmoss

Botanical Name: Bryoandersonia illecebra

It is also famous as Spoon Moss and Worm Moss. This moss has glossy green to yellow-brown foliage. The leafy stems are around 4-6 cms long and have a blunt tip.

2. Springy Turf Moss

naturespot

Botanical Name: Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus

The serrated leaves of this moss grow on red stems. It has pale green foliage covered in fine hair, which also gives it a name – electrified cat’s tail!

3. Fern Moss

Types of Moss 2

Botanical Name: Thuidium delicatulum

These are also called delicate fern moss. This moss variety is native to America and is frequently used in bouquets and floral arrangements.

4. Heath Star Moss

Botanical Name: Campylopus introflexus

The leaves of Heath Star Moss have a star-like appearance that gives it a unique look. It has quite invasive growth that it can spread just like a weed.

5. American Tree Moss

Types of Moss 3

Botanical Name: Climacium americanum

This densely branched moss looks like there are several tiny Christmas trees growing together! Its foliage takes a stunning olive shade as it matures.

6. Mood Moss

Botanical Name: Dicranum scoparium

The plant got its unique name because of the fact that its foliage has its own ‘mood.’ When it is well-watered, it appears quite fluffy, whereas when it is dehydrated, it looks weak and delicate.

7. Plume Moss

Types of Moss 4
projectnoah

Botanical Name: Ptilium crista-castrensis

Knight plume moss features branched stems that appear like the feather of the bird. This moss grows best in shade and takes a beautiful light green color.

8. Hypnum Moss

Botanical Name: Hypnum cupressiforme

Also famous as the cypress-leaved plaitmoss, its foliage resembles a cypress tree. The plant has creeping stems that form a dense mat on the ground.

9. Creeping Feather Moss

Types of Moss 5

Botanical Name: Amblystegium serpens

This evergreen perennial forms a mat of leafy stems with very small stems, measuring just 1 to 2 cm. The leaves are also very small, which makes them look quite dense.

10. Juniper Moss

Botanical Name: Polytrichum juniperinum

It is one of the most popular types of moss you can find that’s also quite easy to grow! Grow it where the plant gets a lot of sunlight for that amazing color.

11. Shaggy Moss

Types of Moss 6

Botanical Name: Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus

This moss features pale green leaves that point in different directions, which gives it a very shabby appearance, hence the name.

12. Tousled Treasure

cortland.edu

Botanical Name: Callicladium haldanianum

The tousled treasure has a flat or loose mat-forming tendency. It does well in good light and the foliage changes color when exposed to the sun, developing a red tint.

13. Warnstorf’s Peat Moss

Types of Moss 9
bryophyteportal

Botanical Name: Sphagnum warnstorfii

Warnstorfii is a slender moss with flat, starry heads. The color may vary from yellow-green, red-brown to purple, depending on the light exposure.

14. Water Screw Moss

naturespot

Botanical Name: Syntrichia latifolia

Water screw moss is yellow-green to dull-green in shade. The leaves are arranged in such manner that it makes the moss appear a bed of green flowers!

15. Lanky Moss

Types of Moss 10

Botanical Name: Rhytidiadelphus loreus

The leaves of this moss are yellow to olive green in color. It is also one of the very few mosses that look amazing in hanging baskets!

1 thought on “15 Best Types of Moss to Grow in Garden”

  1. Hello,
    I have ZERO experience with plants and gardening, recently I have found little fascinations towards moss so tried slurry method to grow sphagnum on a brick. Its been almost 3 weeks with no sign of growth so far.
    Have a selected a wrong species for the project?
    Also the mood moss looks promising, how can I procure it? and can I grow one on brick using slurry?

    Reply

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