Mostly in the form of long fibers (conveniently named long-fiber sphagnum moss) but sometimes sold as “milled sphagnum moss” which is essentially a ground version. The majority of the time, sphagnum moss for sale is going to be like this. Long-fiver dried sphagnum moss (before I shredded it). To be honest, they tend to share many of the same properties but with some key differences that might be important for your needs. Okay, so we’re onto pure sphagnum, but there’s still a few different types available. With that out of the way, for the rest of the article we’re talking pure sphagnum moss! Sometimes it’s kept live, but most often it’s dried to produce a resilient fibrous material that still retains the same natural qualities.
It plays a big part in their ecosystems, holding onto moisture, slowing decay, and providing nutrients to the local flora. Now, peat bogs are typically full of sphagnum moss. Peat bogs are natural areas of wetlands that are characteristically high in peat (and form the basis of producing it). The term “peat” refers to a material that – much like coal – has been created through the compression of plant material over centuries.
To understand the distinction we first need to understand the source. The thing is, it’s all from the same type of source anyway – peat bogs. There’s well over 300 species, but because they’re so similar you’ll still see everything sold under the umbrella label of “sphagnum moss.” Asides from the source/location, I’ve never seen anyone selling specific species of Sphagnum. Technically though, Sphagnum is actually a genus of plants – and a large one at that. Thanks to its many positive qualities, it’s commonly used to grow or mount plants of all kinds, and has made itself an essential part of terrarium substrates. In the horticultural world, sphagnum moss is more of a material/tool than a plant.
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