Moss Species We Supply | Grades, Indoor and Outdoor
Moss Species We Supply
Every species we carry, in four grades, with what each one needs and where it belongs. The best moss for ground cover depends on light before anything else.
Twelve species for outdoor planting and thirteen for terrarium and vivarium use, twelve of them in stock, with what each one needs and where it belongs. Most are sold in both forms, because the same plant behaves differently in a garden and in a closed jar.
Species we are asked about but do not carry: campylopus moss and entodon moss, both occasional landscaping requests, and liverwort moss — a different bryophyte group entirely, not a true moss. For the different types of moss we do supply, everything below is in stock as described.
Every Species at a Glance
Light and moisture decide which species will take. The different moss types below are grouped by what they need rather than how they look, because two mosses that look alike can want opposite conditions. The last column shows which are also sold cleaned and pest checked for terrariums and vivariums.
| Species | Latin name | Light | Moisture | pH | Indoor version |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheet Moss | Hypnum imponens | Deep shade to shade | Moderate to high | Low to neutral | Yes |
| Carpet Moss | Hypnum cupressiforme | Deep shade to shade | Moderate to high | Low to neutral | No |
| Cushion Moss | Leucobryum glaucum | Part shade to shade | Moderate | Acidic | Yes |
| Mood Moss, or Rock Cap Moss | Dicranum scoparium | Part to full shade | Dry to moderate | Acidic | Yes |
| Fern Moss | Thuidium delicatulum | Shade to part shade | High | Low to neutral | Yes |
| Haircap Moss | Polytrichum commune | Dappled light to part shade | Moderate to high | Acidic | Yes |
| Sun Moss (Bryum) | Bryum caespiticium | Sun to moderate shade | Dry to moderate | Neutral | Yes |
| Full Sun Moss | Racomitrium canescens | Full sun to moderate shade | Dry to moderate, excellent drainage | Neutral | Yes |
| Star Moss | Aulacomnium | Sun, dappled light or shade | High to saturated | Acidic organic soil | Yes |
| Tree Apron Moss | Anomodon attenuatus | Dappled light to shade | Medium | Neutral | Yes |
| Emerald Feather Moss | Brachythecium | Dappled light to moderate shade | Moderate to high | Low to neutral | Yes |
| Spoon Leaved Moss | Bryoandersonia illecebra | Dappled light | Moderate to high | Low to neutral | No |
| Turf Carpet Moss | Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus | Dappled to moderate shade | High to saturated | Low to neutral | Yes |
The Four Grades, and What Actually Differs
The same species is sold in up to four forms. They are not interchangeable, and buying the wrong one is the most common ordering mistake we see. What changes is the preparation, the size you can buy and whether the moss is alive.
| Grade | Alive? | Sold from | What it is prepared for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping | Yes | 1 square foot | Outdoor planting. Cut as sheets or clumps and shipped fresh to lay on prepared ground. The largest sizes, up to a thousand square feet and beyond. Bulk and wholesale pricing applies on larger orders. |
| Terrarium | Yes | A quarter of a square foot | Closed builds. Cleaned and pest checked, because anything living that arrives with it stays in the enclosure. Small quantities, because most builds need very little. |
| Events and decor | Yes | By the piece | Table runners, centerpieces, altar work and styled displays. Selected for appearance and freshness on the day rather than for establishing. |
| Preserved | No | 1 square foot | Interiors with no light. The moss is treated so it holds color and texture indefinitely. It never needs water and it will not grow. |
Preserved moss is not living, so it belongs indoors and away from weather. It will degrade outside. If you want moss that stays green outdoors without watering, that is a species choice rather than a preservation one, and the answer is usually racomitrium.
Which grades exist for which species
Not every species is offered in every grade. Sheet, cushion and mood moss are the three carried across all four, which is why they are the ones used for events and interior work.
| Species | Landscaping | Terrarium | Events | Preserved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheet Moss | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Carpet Moss | Yes | — | — | — |
| Cushion Moss | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mood Moss, or Rock Cap Moss | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fern Moss | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Haircap Moss | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Sun Moss (Bryum) | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Full Sun Moss | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Star Moss | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Tree Apron Moss | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Emerald Feather Moss | Mat only | Yes | — | — |
| Spoon Leaved Moss | Yes | — | — | — |
| Turf Carpet Moss | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Sphagnum Moss | — | Yes | — | — |
| Miniature Tree Moss | — | Yes | — | — |
| Reindeer Moss | — | — | — | Yes |
The Species, One by One
Each entry gives the guide specification, what the species is for outdoors, and what it does in a closed build. Different mosses want genuinely different things, so read the specification rather than the picture. Where a species is sold in more than one grade, every grade is linked.
| Light | Deep shade to shade |
|---|---|
| Moisture | Moderate to high |
| pH | Low to neutral |
| Substrate | Soil and rock |
Sheet Moss
All grades, pricing and a coverage calculator on the sheet moss page.
Hypnum imponens
Outdoors. The workhorse for shaded lawns and large groundcover. It is the most economical species for covering a big area and the one most people mean when they say moss lawn.
Indoors, terrarium grade. Sold cleaned for terrarium use, where its flat even growth makes a convincing forest floor. Also the species used most for events, and it is available preserved for interiors that get no light at all.
Order about 95 percent of the area for immediate cover. Sections half an inch apart knit closed in six to twelve months. The most foot traffic tolerant species we carry once established, and gentle walking in the first weeks helps it anchor by keeping the base in contact with the ground. Sun bleached moss takes a year or more to recover.
Landscaping Live sheet moss
Terrarium Terrarium moss
Events Sheet moss for events
Preserved Preserved sheet moss
| Light | Deep shade to shade |
|---|---|
| Moisture | Moderate to high |
| pH | Low to neutral |
| Substrate | Soil and rock |
Carpet Moss
All grades, pricing and a coverage calculator on the carpet moss page.
Hypnum cupressiforme
Outdoors. The same conditions as sheet moss with a rougher, less even face. Choose it where a uniform sheet would look too manicured.
Indoors, terrarium grade. Not sold for terrarium use. The terrarium product with carpet in its address is Turf Carpet Moss, a different plant. For a closed build use sheet moss instead.
Shares its guide entry with sheet moss. Both are Hypnum, they want the same conditions and they are routinely confused.
Landscaping Live carpet moss
| Light | Part shade to shade |
|---|---|
| Moisture | Moderate |
| pH | Acidic |
| Substrate | Acidic soil and humus |
Cushion Moss
All grades, pricing and a coverage calculator on the cushion moss page.
Leucobryum glaucum
Outdoors. Sculptural domed colonies used as accents rather than groundcover. Performs on steep ground and suppresses weeds well.
Indoors, terrarium grade. One of the best terrarium species because the domes hold their shape in a closed build and read as hills at small scale. Also sold preserved and for events.
Pale minty or white when dry, deep green when moist. That color change is a moisture reading, not stress.
Landscaping Live cushion moss
Terrarium Cushion moss for terrariums
Events Cushion moss for events
Preserved Preserved cushion moss
| Light | Part to full shade |
|---|---|
| Moisture | Dry to moderate |
| pH | Acidic |
| Substrate | Rock and boulders |
Mood Moss, or Rock Cap Moss
All grades, pricing and a coverage calculator on the mood moss page.
Dicranum scoparium
Outdoors. Boulder accents, woodland sculpture and vertical elements. The thick upright tufts suppress weeds and it transplants easily.
Indoors, terrarium grade. A strong terrarium species for height and movement, because the tufts sweep in one direction. Preserved mood moss is a mainstay of interior moss work.
Will tan in too much sun. Must dry between waterings.
Landscaping Live mood moss
Terrarium Mood moss for terrariums
Events Mood moss for events
Preserved Preserved mood moss
| Light | Shade to part shade |
|---|---|
| Moisture | High |
| pH | Low to neutral |
| Substrate | Humus and rock |
Fern Moss
All grades, pricing and a coverage calculator on the fern moss page.
Thuidium delicatulum
Outdoors. Boulder blanket and moist woodland floor. Airier than sheet moss, so planting can push through it.
Indoors, terrarium grade. Excellent in a humid closed terrarium, where the lace-like structure shows at close range and the humidity suits its high moisture need.
Will not tolerate drought. Curls and feels crusty when dry, lace-like when moist.
Landscaping Live fern moss
Terrarium Fern moss for terrariums
| Light | Dappled light to part shade |
|---|---|
| Moisture | Moderate to high |
| pH | Acidic |
| Substrate | Acidic soil and sand |
Haircap Moss
All grades, pricing and a coverage calculator on the haircap moss page.
Polytrichum commune
Outdoors. Erosion control on slopes, streambanks and path edges, and one of the tallest at up to 20cm. It takes traffic, though sheet moss takes more.
Indoors, terrarium grade. Used in terrariums for scale, because the upright stems read as a miniature forest. Needs headroom, so it suits taller builds rather than shallow ones.
Extremely drought and freeze tolerant. Shallow depressions help seat the colonies.
Landscaping Live haircap moss
Terrarium Haircap moss for terrariums
| Light | Sun to moderate shade |
|---|---|
| Moisture | Dry to moderate |
| pH | Neutral |
| Substrate | Soil and gravel |
Sun Moss (Bryum)
All grades, pricing and a coverage calculator on the Sun Moss (Bryum) page.
Bryum caespiticium
Outdoors. Pathway joints, terraces and urban greening. One of only two species that hold in open sun.
Indoors, terrarium grade. Suits open and low humidity terrariums where most shade species would rot. Also the species to use on a bright windowsill build.
Grafts and puts out new growth in two to four weeks. Hydrate gently before handling or the cushions crumble.
Landscaping Live sun moss
Terrarium Bryum moss for terrariums
| Light | Full sun to moderate shade |
|---|---|
| Moisture | Dry to moderate, excellent drainage |
| pH | Neutral |
| Substrate | Rock and stone |
Full Sun Moss
All grades, pricing and a coverage calculator on the Full Sun Moss page.
Racomitrium canescens
Outdoors. Stone walls, sun exposed hardscape, green roofs and Japanese gardens. The most sun tolerant species we carry.
Indoors, terrarium grade. The choice for bright, dry indoor builds and for bonsai, because it grows in the sun and a bonsai usually sits in the sun too.
Cultivated on geotextile backing, so it arrives as an even mat and cuts to any shape. Does not tolerate waterlogging.
Landscaping Full sun moss
Terrarium Full sun moss for terrariums
| Light | Sun, dappled light or shade |
|---|---|
| Moisture | High to saturated |
| pH | Acidic organic soil |
| Substrate | Organic soil |
Star Moss
All grades, pricing and a coverage calculator on the star moss page.
Aulacomnium
Outdoors. Bog gardens, rain gardens and ground that pools. A hydrology indicator: specify it where water sits.
Indoors, terrarium grade. Suits high humidity closed builds and paludariums, where its moisture need is an advantage rather than a problem.
Yellows in too much direct sun and goes electric green in shade. Thicker and taller than the other sun mosses.
Landscaping Live star moss
Terrarium Star moss for terrariums
| Light | Dappled light to shade |
|---|---|
| Moisture | Medium |
| pH | Neutral |
| Substrate | Bark, trunks and boulders |
Tree Apron Moss
All grades, pricing and a coverage calculator on the tree apron moss page.
Anomodon attenuatus
Outdoors. Tree skirts, boulder blankets and rock gardens. Install onto bark or stone, never onto soil.
Indoors, terrarium grade. The species for terrarium hardscape: driftwood, cork bark and backgrounds. Use Moss Tac Mini to hold it while it anchors.
Install directly onto bark or stone, not soil.
Landscaping Tree apron moss
Terrarium Tree apron moss for terrariums
| Light | Dappled light to moderate shade |
|---|---|
| Moisture | Moderate to high |
| pH | Low to neutral |
| Substrate | Soil and humus |
Emerald Feather Moss
All grades, pricing and a coverage calculator on the emerald feather moss page.
Brachythecium
Outdoors, as a mat. A fine textured shade cover that takes a little more light than sheet moss. It is not cut as loose sheets, so outdoors it comes as a ready laid live moss mat on soil free backing.
Indoors, terrarium grade. Fine enough for small scale terrarium work where sheet moss would look coarse.
The mat rolls out onto a prepared bed and cuts to shape, so it is quicker to lay than loose pieces.
Outdoors Emerald feather live moss mat
Terrarium Emerald feather for terrariums
| Light | Dappled light |
|---|---|
| Moisture | Moderate to high |
| pH | Low to neutral |
| Substrate | Soil and humus |
Spoon Leaved Moss
All grades, pricing and a coverage calculator on the spoon leaved moss page.
Bryoandersonia illecebra
Outdoors. Woodland colonies and oak understory. Orange hues appear on sunnier sites.
Indoors, terrarium grade. Not currently sold for terrarium use. Outdoor only.
Orient all tufts the same direction or the mat looks stringy.
Landscaping Spoon leaved moss
| Light | Dappled to moderate shade |
|---|---|
| Moisture | High to saturated |
| pH | Low to neutral |
| Substrate | Organic soil |
Turf Carpet Moss
All grades, pricing and a coverage calculator on the turf carpet moss page.
Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus
Outdoors. Wet site planting, bioswales and stream margins. One of the biggest mosses. Not a lawn species, despite the name.
Indoors, terrarium grade. Sold for terrariums under the carpet moss name, which is a source of confusion. Check the Latin name.
On a site that is not consistently wet, give it hardscape to creep over.
Landscaping Turf carpet moss
Terrarium Turf carpet for terrariums
Indoor Only Species
Three more that we supply for indoor use only. Reindeer moss is a lichen rather than a moss, and it is sold preserved rather than living.
| Species | Latin name | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Sphagnum Moss | Sphagnum spp. | Terrarium and vivarium substrate and humidity control. Sold for indoor use only. Currently out of stock. |
| Miniature Tree Moss | Climacium dendroides | Tiny tree-like structure at close range. A terrarium specialist species. |
| Reindeer Moss | Cladonia rangiferina | Not a moss but a lichen. Sold dried and preserved for interiors. It is not alive and never needs water. |
Choosing Between Similar Species
Four pairs get confused more than any others. These are the differences that actually decide it.
Sheet or Carpet?
Both are Hypnum, both want deep shade and moderate to high moisture, and they are routinely confused. Sheet is flatter and more even, which suits a lawn or a large continuous area. Carpet is rougher and less uniform, which suits a naturalistic bed. For a shaded lawn, sheet. For a woodland floor that should not look laid, carpet.
Cushion or Mood?
Both are accent species rather than groundcover, and both suit part to full shade. Cushion forms rounded domes and reads as hills. Mood forms upright tufts that sweep in one direction and reads as movement. Cushion holds its shape better in a closed terrarium. Mood is the stronger choice on and around rock.
Star or Turf Carpet?
Both are wet site species and neither will hold on ground that dries out. Star moss is the more tolerant of sun and the better indicator, because it appears where water genuinely sits. Turf carpet is much larger and springier, and works better where it has hardscape to creep over.
Full Sun Moss or Sun Moss?
The only two species that hold in open sun. Racomitrium arrives on geotextile backing and cuts to shape, which suits walls, roofs and large stone areas. Bryum comes as clumps and suits joints, gaps and small pockets. For a green roof, racomitrium. For paver joints, bryum.
Indoor and Outdoor Are Not the Same Order
The same species behaves differently in a garden and in a sealed jar, and the products are prepared differently too. Four things change.
| Outdoor planting | Terrariums and vivariums | |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation | Sold as cut sheets or clumps, ready to lay on prepared ground. | Hand cleaned and pest checked before it ships, and trimmed to sizes that fit a tank. |
| Quantity | By the square foot, from one foot to a thousand. | From a quarter of a square foot. Most builds need very little. |
| Light | Read the site at its brightest hour, not its shadiest. | Artificial light is usually weaker than it looks. Shade species do better than sun species under most tank lighting. |
| Moisture | Mist, do not soak, and let it dry between waterings. | A closed build holds humidity, so the risk moves from drought to rot. Ventilate rather than water. |
Full detail for enclosed builds is on live moss for terrariums and vivariums. For outdoor planting, start with where moss will grow.
Plants Often Called Moss That We Do Not Supply
Four things get searched for as moss and are not moss, or are not something we carry live. Worth knowing before you order.
| Irish moss and Scotch moss | Sagina subulata. A flowering groundcover, not a moss at all. Often searched for alongside real moss and frequently confused with it. |
|---|---|
| Java moss | An aquatic species for fish tanks. We supply no aquatic moss. |
| Peat moss | A soil amendment made from decomposed sphagnum. Not a living plant. |
| Spanish moss | Tillandsia usneoides, a bromeliad rather than a moss. We stock it dried for decorative use only. |
Other Names You May Have Searched
Moss goes by trade names, hobby names and regional names that rarely match the botany. If one of these brought you here, this is what it maps to:
| You searched | What it is here |
|---|---|
| Kyoto moss · sugigoke | The bonsai and Japanese-garden name for Polytrichum — sold here as haircap moss (Polytrichum commune). |
| Broom moss · fork moss | Common names for Dicranum — sold here as mood moss (Dicranum scoparium). |
| Round moss · bun moss | The dome-forming species: cushion moss (Leucobryum glaucum), also sold as pillow or pincushion moss. |
| Ornamental moss · decorative moss | General terms, not species — every moss in the index above qualifies. Start from the twelve and pick by site. |
| Terrestrial moss | Any land-growing true moss — which is everything we sell. None of the twelve is aquatic. |
| Campylopus moss | Not in the catalog. The closest look we carry is mood moss — the same tufted, windswept habit. |
| Entodon moss | Not in the catalog. For a glossy, carpet-forming pleurocarp, the closest matches are sheet and carpet moss. |
| Vita moss | A brand name rather than a species. For live starter moss, see the hand-cleaned terrarium grades. |
Not Sure Which One?
A live moss variety pack gives you three species to try in your own conditions before committing to a full order. Or tell us about the site and we will narrow it down with you.
Or browse all live moss for sale by species and size, and see prices by the square foot before you order., or grow moss from a milkshake instead of laying it
Questions About Moss Species
Twelve for outdoor planting and twelve for terrarium and vivarium use, all in stock. Ten species are sold in both forms, cut for landscaping and cleaned separately for closed builds. Carpet and spoon leaved moss are landscaping only; turf carpet, miniature tree moss and emerald feather moss are the terrarium-only cuts today. Reindeer, a lichen rather than a moss, is sold preserved.
Very little. Both are Hypnum, both want deep shade and moderate to high moisture, and they are routinely confused. Sheet is flatter and more even, carpet is rougher and less uniform.
Sheet moss. It is the most economical species for a large continuous area and the one most people mean when they say moss lawn. Order about 95 percent of the area for immediate cover.
Two. Racomitrium, which we sell as full sun moss, and bryum. Both want excellent drainage and neither tolerates waterlogging. Every other species we carry wants shade or dappled light.
Most of them, once established. Sheet moss is the most tolerant, because it grows low and horizontal, and normal walking including children crossing the garden will not damage it. Gentle walking in the first weeks actually helps it anchor. Mood moss holds up between walkway stones. Turf carpet moss is the one to avoid where people walk regularly.
It is the same plant but not the same product. Terrarium moss is cleaned and pest checked, because anything living that arrives with it stays in the enclosure. Buy the terrarium version for a closed build.
Full sun moss, Racomitrium canescens. It grows in the sun and a bonsai usually sits in the sun too, which rules out most of the shade species.
No. Both are Sagina subulata, a flowering groundcover rather than a moss. They are frequently confused with real moss and they need quite different conditions.
Yes, and it usually looks better than one uniform species. Keep species with similar light and moisture needs together. Sheet moss works as the connective groundcover with cushion or mood moss as accent islands.
Sheet moss in shade, or a sample box if you are unsure of the site. Sheet is forgiving, economical and the easiest to lay over a large area.
The same species, prepared differently. Landscaping grade is cut fresh for outdoor planting and sold from a square foot upward. Terrarium grade is cleaned and pest checked and sold from a quarter of a square foot, because anything living that arrives with it stays in the enclosure.
No. Preserved moss is not alive. It holds its color indefinitely indoors but it will degrade outside. If you want moss that stays green outdoors without watering, choose racomitrium instead.
Three. Sheet, cushion and mood moss are carried as landscaping, terrarium, events and preserved. That is why they are the species used for weddings and interior work as well as gardens.
Ten of the twelve species we carry. Sheet, carpet, mood and fern moss take the deepest ground. Cushion, tree apron, spoon leaved and haircap suit dappled light and part shade. Star and turf carpet want shade that is also wet. Only bryum and racomitrium need open sun.
Two species. Racomitrium, which we sell as full sun moss, and bryum. Both need excellent drainage and neither tolerates waterlogging. Every other species we carry will bleach or die in open sun.