Sphagnum is a type of marsh moss (peat moss), belongs to the sphagnum family - Sphagnaceae. Possesses unusual properties. This amazing sphagnum moss perfectly tolerates the unfavorable conditions of bogs. Where he grows, every gardener knows. And it can also grow on tree trunks, stones, metal and even glass.
Sphagnum is a perennial plant, it has no roots. It is a branched stalk, with gradually dying off bottom... Moss branches are covered with small leaves growing in a spiral.
The development cycle of sphagnum is the same as that of other mosses. Sex cells are formed on a gametophyte plant. At the site of the egg, after their fusion, a sporogon is formed. Spores ripen in his box. And the sprouted spores give rise to a new gametophyte.
It grows only at the top. Its lower part is constantly dying off. The sphagnum is always moving towards the light, upward. And the lower dying part of it turns into peat. The top of the shoot is always green, and the part that is submerged in water looks slightly whitish. And even lower, the plant takes on a light brown color. Sphagnum moss (photo) looks great.
During the humid period of the year, it is capable of absorbing water up to 20 times its own weight. Translated from Greek sphagnos is a sponge. Hence the name of the plant. It grows more often in the temperate zone and in the Northern Hemisphere, but it can also be found in the subtropics. You can find it in abundance in the raised bog. The bright green fluffy carpet in the photo is sphagnum moss.
Sphagnum properties
The plant has three important properties making it indispensable in floriculture:
- Air permeability... Allows the soil to be kept moist without increasing its weight.
- Hygroscopicity... Moistening always occurs evenly and in the same metered manner and evenly, moisture is returned to the substrate. The earthen mixture will always be sufficiently moist, but not waterlogged.
- Antibacterial and disinfectant properties moss is even used in medicine. Sphagnum-containing substances prevent root decay indoor plants from decay and other problems.
Application
Sphagnum is used as an earthen component for indoor plants. It can be added to soil to improve quality, making it loose, moist and nutritious.
Sphagnum moss is also used in a different capacity:
- to cover the soil;
- as a drainage for indoor plants;
- as a rug;
- for air humidification;
- for storage in winter period onions and root crops;
- to protect plants from fungal diseases;
- for the manufacture of hanging baskets and supports for plants with aerial roots.
Loves him indoor begonia, saintpaulia, dracaena, dieffenbachia, monstera, azalea, sansiveria, fat woman. It is used for home germination of seeds and further rooting of shoots. Violet leaves take root in it perfectly.
How to harvest moss?
It is better to harvest it in the fall, but you can collect it at other times of the year. Sphagnum is removed very easily. But it is recommended to take only the upper parts, cutting them off with a knife or scissors.
Collect it not in swampy places where it is very saturated with moisture. Better to do this near trees.
You can collect sphagnum in the following ways:
- Extracting a plant with roots.
- Cutting off its surface upper part.
The cut moss needs to be wrung out thoroughly to reduce weight. Brought home the plant needs to be poured for 40 minutes warm water ... This will rid it of insects and saturate it with moisture.
Store moss in unsealed plastic bags. This will allow him to breathe. In winter, you can store moss simply in the cold.
Sphagnum moss: features and preparation
How to dry moss?
Dry it on hangers. This is the most optimal way drying. Sphagnum hanging on racks perfectly blown out and retains its elasticity. Hangers are made from trunks small size trees. They are placed under a canopy to protect the moss from the weather.
Sphagnum moss in medicine
The chemical composition of sphagnum is a number of substances useful for the human body. Is a plant natural antibiotic from the group of phenols.
Its property of absorbing a large volume of liquid is used as natural cotton wool. Sphagnum moss is still capable of disinfecting wounds... It is used in the treatment of purulent wounds, burns and frostbite.
On the basis of this plant, highly effective filters for water purification are made.
You can safely drink water from a sphagnum bog. It has a slightly darkish color because it is infused with peat. But there are no pathogens in it.
Sphagnum moss - assistant to flower growers
Indoor plant lovers know how good it is for flowers. It can be put on the ground of plants when saturated with water. The soil in the pot will remain moist for a long period of time.
Use it and for germinating seeds of indoor plants... And for dense rooting of cuttings, cut plant stems are poured into the soil.
Gardeners use this plant to store tubers of various horticultural crops. To do this, they are freed from the ground and wrapped in wet pieces of sphagnum. The lumps are placed in a cardboard box and left in a cool and dark place. The tubers will remain fresh and intact until the next planting.
Important! Use peat on garden plot from sphagnum bogs is not recommended. It will greatly acidify the soil, and this is contraindicated for many garden cultures.
Quite often, sphagnum moss acts as a component of the composition of a soil mixture intended for indoor plants. And it is very rare to find an explanation for what purposes moss is used for and what kind of plant is it? In fact, sphagnum moss has amazing capabilities. Why is it so good, and what is it used for?
What is sphagnum moss?
A similar plant grows in to a greater extent on north side hemisphere. You can find him in the south, somewhere in the mountains, on the plains he is extremely rare. But they say that if you're lucky, you can see this moss on the plain. But still, in the north, this plant is more than anywhere else. Here it is mined industrially and used in construction (excellent thermal insulation). Moss is also used in perfumery and the medical field. Due to its light color, moss also has a second name - white moss.
What properties does sphagnum have?
Of all the other advantages, three main properties of moss can be distinguished, which are simply invaluable in floriculture. These are breathability, hygroscopicity and antibacterial and disinfectant properties.
The air permeability of the moss allows the soil mixture to remain moist and very light.
Ability to absorb moisture from the environment- here sphagnum is the undisputed leader. If we take one part of the total volume, then it will take into itself much more than twenty of them. Cotton and that does not have such abilities. In this case, the humidification process is performed equally. Moisture is given to the soil mixture also measuredly and in portions. The soil, which contains moss, will always be moderately moist and waterlogging is excluded here.
Due to its antibacterial and disinfecting properties, sphagnum has found application in the field of medicine, so high are its qualities. Triterpene compounds and antibiotics found in moss, as well as others beneficial features, keep the roots of indoor flowers healthy, preventing them from rotting. And, in general, they protect flowers from all such troubles.
Where is sphagnum used?
Moss serves as an additional component in the composition of the earth, not only for plants with increased requirements for moisture, but for others as well. Moss added to the soil, even a small part of it, for plants such as, and many others, can help protect the grower from much of the hassle.
Even in the moss, the process of rooting cuttings goes well. For example, flower growers who practice root leaves only in sphagnum.
Residents of the northern regions are much more fortunate in terms of the availability of sphagnum moss. They can even get it on their own in the swamps where moss grows (belemshannikh). Sphagnum is perfectly stored, you can grow and propagate it yourself. It is necessary to store the moss frozen, in the freezer of the refrigerator. After defrosting, it becomes alive again. Everyone else can only rely on online stores, where it is quite easy to find the necessary sphagnum moss on sale.
Sphagnum moss as a component of potting soil mixtures for indoor plants is well known and widely used experienced florists... For novice florists, sphagnum is a mysterious ingredient, and therefore optional. This is partly true if you do not compose earthen mixtures yourself, but use ready-made ones. There is often sphagnum moss already present. But is he really needed? And is it possible to do without sphagnum? In order to answer these questions, you need to figure it out.
What is sphagnum moss and what are its properties
it swamp moss, and you can find it in the old raised bogs of almost all regions with a temperate and cool climate. Although in middle lane you have to try very hard to find such a swamp. It is quite easy to distinguish sphagnum from other mosses - it is white. Although this is not entirely true, White color it acquires in a dried state, while sphagnum moss growing in a swamp has a light green color, which also makes it easily distinguishable from other mosses of a rich green color. V northern regions such bogs (bielshanniks) are ubiquitous and it is there that sphagnum moss is mined industrially. What for? The fact is that sphagnum moss, in addition to excellent hygroscopic properties, has others, no less remarkable properties... It is used in construction as thermal insulation, in medicine as a plant with excellent bactericidal properties. Sphagnum was also used in perfumery. And these are not all areas of its application.
The use of sphagnum in floriculture
The whole complex unique properties growers appreciated this moss.
First of all, it is hygroscopic. It is difficult to find equal to sphagnum moss in terms of its ability to accumulate moisture. Indeed, even in comparison with cotton (wool), it surpasses it by 20 (!) Times. Therefore, if you add it to an earthen mixture, it will stay moist for much longer. In this case, there will be no danger of waterlogging, since, having accumulated a large number of moisture, sphagnum moss gives it evenly, as the earth dries up. Keep the moisture in the ground in flower pot, you can not only add moss to the ground, but also simply spread it over the surface of the earth. This, among other things, will also contribute.
By adding sphagnum moss to the soil mixture, you will not only increase its moisture capacity, but also protect the plant roots from decay and fungal diseases. Its antiseptic properties will simply prevent them from developing. It has been noticed that plants whose roots were injured during the transplantation process are much faster and easier to recover in soil containing sphagnum moss.
For many indoor plants, this moss is not only an antiseptic or moisture accumulator, but also a regulator (pH). When added to the soil in sufficient quantities, sphagnum moss will make it more acidic, which will suit the taste of violets, and many other indoor plants. Also sphagnum is an integral part.
In addition to all of the above, crushed sphagnum is an excellent material for and.
Harvesting and storage of sphagnum
If in your area there is a suitable swamp where this moss grows, then be sure to prepare it, you will not regret it. This is done very simply and no special devices are required. All parts are used, so you do not need to limit yourself to plucking the tops, take it completely. Before drying the sphagnum, thoroughly squeeze it out of moisture and, if possible, clean it of unnecessary debris (tree leaves, needles, twigs, etc.). Then you can go in two ways. If you need "live" sphagnum moss, then it can be frozen in the freezer (or freezer). It tolerates freezing very well and comes to life after thawing. But much more often dried moss is enough for our purposes. To dry sphagnum, it is not at all necessary to create special conditions, it is enough just to spread it out in the sun. Such drying will not in the least affect its properties. Sphagnum moss dries out for a long time, but it is not necessary to dry it completely. It all depends on the purposes for which you are preparing it. If it will be used as a humidifier, then it is possible not to bring it to a state of fragility. If you plan to simply add moss to the earthen mixture, then you can grind it first. This will dry the sphagnum moss faster and make it easier to use. Given the high hygroscopicity of sphagnum, it is advisable to store it in a dry place and in good packaging.
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Sphagnum moss (Sphagnum) is a perennial, which also has another name - peat moss. Moss grows in swampy areas, forms vast areas - sphagnum bogs. In Russia and Ukraine, there are about 40 species of sphagnum, while more than 300 are known in the world. Habitat - tundra, forest or mountainous area, much less common on the plains. The plant has underdeveloped roots, so over time they die off and are converted into peat. The upper part continues to grow and develop. When dry, sphagnum can absorb a lot of moisture - 20 times its own weight. It was thanks to this opportunity that it got its name ("sphagnos" in translation from Greek means "sponge"). The plant has a light green (light green) hue, when dry it becomes almost white. Hence another name - white moss.
A clearing of sphagnum moss in a forest area.
Sphagnum moss is often used by flower growers. It is used as a component for soil, as well as in independent form for rooting cuttings or planting epiphytic plants such as orchids. Three main properties of the plant should be distinguished:
- perfectly absorbs water;
- passes oxygen;
- not susceptible to contamination by bacteria.
The hygroscopicity is due to the structure of the plant. Stems and leaves of sphagnum consist of hollow cells, a kind of reservoirs into which water is absorbed. The hygroscopicity of sphagnum is 6 times higher than that of cotton wool. In addition, moisture is evenly distributed in it. This suggests that the use of moss in the composition planting soil will maintain a constant and uniform level of humidity.
A pot of gardenia in sphagnum.
Air permeability is achieved thanks to the same reservoir cells. Soil mixtures, which contain sphagnum, are light and loose, which has a beneficial effect on the health of the plant's root system.
Scientists working in the field of bryology (the science that studies mosses) have proven that sphagnum moss is completely immune to disease. It has disinfectant, antibacterial and antifungal properties. Sphagnum contains antibiotics, bactericides and coumarins. All these substances are natural antiseptics and are used in the medical industry. And use in floriculture allows you to forget about rotting cuttings during reproduction.
Another important property of sphagnum for indoor plants is the ability to acidify the soil - this prevents the multiplication of various kinds of bacteria. For some flowers, such as violets, this feature is irreplaceable. Indeed, it is in acidic soil that they bloom more abundantly and longer.
Application in crop production
As mentioned above, the properties of moss are indispensable in floriculture. It can and should be used for breeding:
- violets and gloxinia;
- royal and common begonias;
- orchids and monsters;
- dracaena and dieffenbachy;
- fat women and cordilins.
In general, this list can include all indoor flowers that prefer high humidity... Sphagnum moss is indispensable for those who are often on the road, and there is no one to entrust watering the flowers. Moss will do a great job, you just need to wet it and overlay the plant. So the ground long time will be wet.
Violet lined with sphagnum to maintain moisture.
Dried sphagnum is used by gardeners for summer cottages... Plants that do not tolerate frost are covered with it. Since not all garden flowers need acidic soil, in spring the moss is collected, leaving only where it will really be useful. For example, in areas with asters, chrysanthemums or tulips. Some vegetable crops such as potatoes, carrots, and radishes also love acidified soil.
Collection and storage
The harvesting of sphagnum moss falls on the period from April to October. But here, too, there are some nuances. For example, collecting in early spring may be complicated by the presence melt water in areas where moss grows, in July - by blood-sucking insects. A rainy October can also thwart all plans. That's why best time according to experts, is August or September. Especially if the weather is right - dry and warm.
Moss is collected in two ways:
- extracted completely, even the root - get large quantity, but at the same time be prepared to spend time on a thorough cleaning;
- the upper part is cut with a knife - the mass is less, but the moss is cleaner.
When hiking for sphagnum, you must have rubber boots, gloves and plastic bags. Just in case, you can take a bactericidal plaster with you, since when working with a knife, cuts on your hands are not excluded.
Freshly harvested sphagnum without roots.
If you need live moss, it is better to spread it out in the shade, spreading it evenly over the surface. Let the wind dry the sphagnum a little - it should be wet, but not wet! In order for all the useful properties to be preserved, you need to store the moss in plastic bags in a cold room, you can even in the cold. When needed, he is brought into a warm room, and he comes to life.
Sphagnum moss also grows at home. To grow it yourself, you need to cut off the green part and place it in a tray with damp peat. Be sure to water every day.
The use of sphagnum in other industries
As mentioned above, the properties of moss allow it to be used in medical purposes... During the Great Patriotic War it was used instead of cotton wool, applied to wounds and burns. He not only stopped blood and drained pus, but also promoted healing.
Dried moss is also successfully used in construction wooden buildings... It is used as a cushion for logs. This makes it possible to keep warm in the room and get rid of pests that often "occupy" the wood.
Dry sphagnum for insulating log buildings.
Beekeepers make insulation for hives from pressed dry sphagnum. And the bottom is lined with live moss for disinfection. In animal husbandry, sphagnum moss has also found application. It is used as bedding for small rodents or as litter for the toilet.
To save yourself the hassle of collecting, you can purchase it in specialized stores or order it online. The cost will depend on the weight of the product. So, a 70 gram bag of sphagnum will cost you 80 - 100 rubles. Bulk bags of 50 - 100 liters cost from 1000 to 2500 rubles. Suppliers usually give good discounts to wholesale buyers.
In wetlands and in areas where there are many reservoirs, you can find an abundance of specific vegetation that has useful and unique qualities... A very common representative of such areas is sphagnum moss, known as peat moss.
Description of the plant
Sphagnum is a marsh moss belonging to the Sphagnum family that has excellent tolerance to the harsh conditions of marshland. You can meet him almost everywhere: on tree trunks, stones, metal and even glass. Peat moss is a rootless perennial. Bottom part the branched stem gradually dies off, and the twigs are covered with small foliage growing in a spiral.
The development cycle of sphagnum is practically similar to that of other species. The formation of germ cells occurs on a gametophyte plant. The place of the ovum after the fusion of gametes is occupied by a sporogon, in the capsule of which spores develop, giving rise after maturation new gametophyte... Only its upper part develops, moving all the time towards the light, while the lower one constantly dies off. green color, and the submerged area is whitish.
During periods from high humidity sphagnum can absorb moisture 20 times its own weight. It owes this ability its name: translated from Greek meaning the word sphagnum is a sponge. The habitat is considered to be the temperate zone and the Northern Hemisphere, sometimes it is also found in the subtropics.
Beneficial features
According to medical experts, sphagnum moss contains very important elements giving the plant medicinal properties... Peat moss consists of the following components:
- triterpene compounds;
- phenol-like substances;
- Sahara;
- resin;
- pectin elements;
- mineral salts;
- cellulose;
- coumarins.
The above components make it possible for sphagnum to have the following effect:
- accelerate the healing of cut, open and purulent wounds;
- act as an antiseptic dressing material, sterilization for which is not required;
- have antibacterial properties, allowing the use of sphagnum to combat skin and nail fungus;
- deal with increased sweating, fungal diseases skin and nail plates using trays with a decoction of the plant;
- contribute to the elimination of staphylococcal lesions of wounds, using water after squeezing the moss;
- heal skin conditions and irritations, including psoriasis.
Application of sphagnum moss
Despite its obvious healing properties, the plant has found wide application in a variety of fields.
In folk medicine
There are a number of recipes for obtaining successful result from sphagnum treatment:
- Powder. It is used to treat both open and purulent wounds. For cooking such a remedy dried moss is well ground to obtain a powdery mass. Method of application: sprinkle the wound with powder, and after 5 minutes rinse well with water, bandage.
- Tincture. It is used to heal the skin and nail plates from the fungus. For preparation, 100 g of moss is placed in a glass with 70% alcohol. The mixture is infused for several hours, after which the sphagnum is applied to the affected areas and fixed with a bandage.
- Collection. Its purpose is to treat such dermatological diseases like eczema, dermatitis. To prepare the collection, dry sphagnum, verbena, dried cress, river gravilata, clover, primrose, rose petals, rhizomes of galangal and sedge are mixed in equal proportions. 10 g of the mixture are placed in a glass container, where they are re-mixed, and filled with half a liter of boiling water. After several hours of infusion, the broth is ready for use. The infusion is applied externally by adding to warm bath for bathing or wetting a cloth towel applied to the affected area.
- Ointment. She is able to quickly heal wounds and skin inflammations. The method of preparation consists in mixing dry moss with petroleum jelly in equal parts. The finished ointment can also be applied to the nail plates to destroy the fungus.
- Sphagnum decoction for baths. The main diagnosis for use is joint pain. For cooking, half a kilogram of moss is placed in a bucket of cool water. The container is placed on a low-intensity fire, where it is brought to a boil. The stove turns off 10 minutes after boiling. After waiting for it to cool completely, the broth is poured into a warm bath, which should be taken for about half an hour.
In construction
Sphagnum, which has unique qualities, has found application in construction. It is a common knowledge that when they build wooden house, requires insulation to be laid between the logs. Currently, there is no shortage of insulation materials: in construction hypermarkets and a huge assortment of synthetic insulation is presented on the markets, depending on financial capabilities.
However, if the future owner wants to get a durable building - be it a house or a bathhouse, it is better to use moss. The bactericidal properties of moss will prolong lifetime log house and not start to rot. In the case of a bath, the main importance is given to the hygroscopic qualities of sphagnum, which will make it possible to smooth out the drops in humidity. Accordingly, the bathhouse will delight its owners much longer.
In floriculture and horticulture
The owners of summer cottages are familiar with it as a fertilizer or covering material for plants in the winter. And also they are often filled with cups for distilling seedlings. Moss is widely used in floriculture:
- Possessing bactericidal properties, it is used to cultivate young specimens and rescue diseased plants.
- Due to its hygroscopicity, which allows it to retain moisture, it is popular as an ingredient in various substrates.
- It is widely used in the care of orchids.
Method of using sphagnum moss when breeding orchids:
- Sphagnum scalded hot water, cooled and wrung out.
- An aqueous solution is prepared with mineral fertilizer with which the moss is spilled.
- Then it is lightly wrung out again and kept in plastic bag within 4 days.
The moss prepared in this way is used while orchid roots do not reach 7 cm: the plant is transplanted into freshly made sphagnum with an interval of 2 months. After reaching the required size of the root system, the orchid is transplanted into a special substrate.
In beekeeping and animal husbandry
Moss with its unique qualities can also be of interest to beekeepers. For example, both for a human house and for a bee abode, an excellent insulation is obtained from pressed dry sphagnum. In order to avoid freezing of bees with the onset of frost, the hives are insulated with sphagnum. And to maintain a constant level of humidity inside the bee house, the moss is placed under the hive, where it absorbs excess moisture and thanks to its antibacterial qualities, it disinfects the space, thus avoiding the occurrence of various diseases in bees. With increased dryness air masses it will begin to return moisture, making it possible for the honey in the combs to not be sugared.
Sphagnum moss is good for equipping pet dwellings. For example, it can be found in cages where rats, hamsters, Guinea pigs... It is often used for bedding for agricultural animals. In such a situation, spent sphagnum in combination with animal droppings will turn into an excellent species. organic fertilizers... Its ability to perfectly absorb various odors has earned it popularity in the pet litter market.
Collection and storage of sphagnum
To collect this plant, there is no need for special devices:
- Since it is not poisonous, the collection can be carried out with unprotected hands, but it is better not to refuse gloves.
- Plant without special efforts is pulled out of the ground, so there is no need for a shovel either.
When the harvest is complete, the plant is squeezed out and laid out in the sun to dry completely. If the purpose of collecting it is to use moss as decorative element, then it is not completely wrung out and does not undergo prolonged drying.
Experienced sphagnum harvesting people share these tips:
- Do not pull out the whole moss: cut off the top with scissors, leaving the bottom untouched. After some time, the appearance of new shoots will allow the plant to fully recover.
- It is worth pouring boiling water over the collected moss to destroy small insects living on it.
- You should not resort to the use of artificial dryers: the plant can grow out in patches.
- If possible, store the collection in the freezer.
So after getting to know this unique plant closer, it becomes really clear: what is sphagnum moss.