Fairy Moss

Fairy moss is native to Northern America; this moss is mostly found in Michigan and Wisconsin.

Fairy moss has single tiny leaves that are fuzzy and form a root that hangs from the leaf into the water. This moss grows in clusters, which can cover all of the water in a pond or pot. Fairy moss changes colors throughout the season, which can really add color to a pond in the spring and fall. In summer the leaves are bright green, and then in spring and fall the leaves turn reds, orange, and coppery tones.

Growing fairy moss can be simple. It just needs warm water to thrive in the summer. When winter comes, allow it to freeze in the ice, and the moss will unthaw itself as weather gets warmer. Fairy moss isn’t just for the looks and color, but if the gardener has fish or aquatic life in the pond, fairy moss is a good cover for the life in the pond to get shade from the sun, or even hide from predators.

You can find fairy moss in pots at Reiman Gardens in the Town and Country Garden. Although fairy moss is not native to Iowa, we grow the moss in a container rather than a pond to allow the moss to thrive and grow healthy.