# Planted Tanks > Plant Talk >  Where to get land moss?

## kcws71

Hi, 
Does anyone know where to buy *green moss* that grows on land? 

Not the kind that lives underwater in aquariums and whatnot, but the kind that grows on the ground or in terrariums.

I've been to a few stores but they only sell sphagnum moss which is not what i'm looking for.. ):

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## cdckjn

dig it from your garden?

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## kcws71

> dig it from your garden?


But in Singapore it's hard to find moss lying around on the garden cause it's hot.. It's not like in the states where I could just pull out moss from even the sidewalks in autumn. So i'm wondering if there are any stores around that sells (:

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## blurless

You just need to look harder! Try areas that are shaded by thick trees and receive little sunlight. These are usually damp.

In my place in Choa Chu Kang, where there are flats with units on the first floor, I can typically find land growing moss under thick trees. I think they are called Singapore Moss. They are both terrestrial and aquatic.

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## eviltrain

sometime you can even find quite a big patch to cover your landed area of your setup.

just try look harder  :Very Happy:

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## boxedfish

my flower pot have some!!!! come and get it..

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## 1112

i have unlimited. find me.

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## blurless

> i have unlimited. find me.


Unlimited! In your house? What kind of moss? Any photos to show?  :Very Happy:

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## 1112

will take one pic later to upload.

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## limz_777

run a search on singapore moss

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## felix_fx2

> But in Singapore it's hard to find moss lying around on the garden cause it's hot.. It's not like in the states where I could just pull out moss from even the sidewalks in autumn. So i'm wondering if there are any stores around that sells (:


You need to go around, staying at home will get you no where.

A good place is besides horti-park, alexendra point. Look near the shuttle bus pickup point.

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## kcws71

> You need to go around, staying at home will get you no where.
> 
> A good place is besides horti-park, alexendra point. Look near the shuttle bus pickup point.


Hmm okay thank you, I'll try looking there soon. Kinda awkward to be digging up moss from a park tho haha (:

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## kcws71

> will take one pic later to upload.


Yeah could you post a picture? I'd like to have a look if you don't mind (:

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## 1112

Hi all,

there are either on slop hill (dry) and some patch on wet land.


the one on dry look like carpet and really thick and healthy. however grow together with other wild grass


the one on wet also look nice but the worse is with a lot of green line algae. and i can't help to remove that. the algae too thick. if pull out physically will tear the moss a part


i have try to put the wet in my tank for 1 week at low light with pure water only. they survive.... together with the green line anyway. where the pic above is from my tank. 

all expert to ID if this is Sg Moss? or any other else do advice.

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## felix_fx2

> Hmm okay thank you, I'll try looking there soon. Kinda awkward to be digging up moss from a park tho haha (:


It's not at horti park but alexendra point. Alot of town park also have but not big patches.

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## 1112

Found this as almost matching discription for the above. Singapore Moss - _Vesicularia dubyana_

http://www.aquamoss.net/Singapore-Mo...apore-Moss.htm

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## marimo

yes they are singapore moss
can i know where did you 'harvest' them ?
the dry one just mist them , with also some light.

what are you using the moss for?
I am also looking for moss to set up terrarium

I be setting a few types.
I just set up one for my friend over the weekend getting resource from far east flora
Its still pretty far i want to achieve ..
photo 3.jpg

Next i want to do a moss terrarium
Found these around parks, and other creepers and tiny plants
photo 4.jpg

And last one a terrarium moss from reindeer, beard moss, lichen from USA
its hard to find and mostly come preserved. Not sure if can import to singapore a not.

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## kcws71

> Found this as almost matching discription for the above. Singapore Moss - _Vesicularia dubyana_
> 
> http://www.aquamoss.net/Singapore-Mo...apore-Moss.htm


Ah yes I think this is what I'm looking for (: I'll go look around parks soon then after my exams are over.

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## kcws71

> Hi all,
> 
> there are either on slop hill (dry) and some patch on wet land.
> 
> 
> the one on dry look like carpet and really thick and healthy. however grow together with other wild grass
> 
> 
> the one on wet also look nice but the worse is with a lot of green line algae. and i can't help to remove that. the algae too thick. if pull out physically will tear the moss a part
> ...


Do you know how to keep these alive above land? Do you just like leave them on soil and mist them or..? I tried making a small jar terrarium once without moss but it died lol ):

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## 1112

> yes they are singapore moss
> can i know where did you 'harvest' them ?
> the dry one just mist them , with also some light.


slops with heavy canopy - grow dry

wet patches under big tree - grow wet (but most with algae)




> what are you using the moss for?


carpet. havn started. still sketching and looking for more idea and resources. will post once something comes forward




> Do you know how to keep these alive above land? Do you just like leave them on soil and mist them or..? I tried making a small jar terrarium once without moss but it died lol ):


they are already on land and with beautiful color tone especially at different contour slop

bro marimo, your terrarium in jug looks pleasant equality like fill up with beer.  :Evil:

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## felix_fx2

My next door like to put a type of moss to cover his potted plants soil

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## marimo

> bro marimo, your terrarium in jug looks pleasant equality like fill up with beer


lol thats a failure terrarium imo, i add too much soil medium, end up the plants a bit cramp. base is dried spaghum moss, follow up by lava rock, then river gravel. then active charcoal for odour. then planting soil, then spaghum moss on top.
used small pieces of bw wood and senryu rocks for ornament.




> My next door like to put a type of moss to cover his potted plants soil


 its probably spaghum moss.. especially use in orchid to absorb extra water. Its also one of the ava approved moss.

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## felix_fx2

Live and growing ones? It's green and nice. If i not mistaken spagmun moss that commonly found is dried and processed ones. Like the ones I use in some potted plants.

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## kcws71

> Live and growing ones? It's green and nice. If i not mistaken spagmun moss that commonly found is dried and processed ones. Like the ones I use in some potted plants.


Yeah I've only seen ugly brown sphagnum moss sold here, never seen green moss sold. Is green land moss sold anywhere? I think I'd be able to find them on the ground under trees like most have suggested but is it sold in shops?

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## benjidog

I think NA opposite Thomson Medical Centre sells some Singapore Moss (aquatic version). 

For free land version, you can harvest under shady trees, and parks.
FYI, go for a jog/walk at the parks! 

There are some big patches near Macritchie Reservior Park's grass patch near the bridge area. ( please note it is probably illegal to take plants / even moss from our National parks so please exercise discretion - if you harvest some, don't do it in front of NParks officers/park ranger.)

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## cdckjn

I got a few questions,

1. If I have a friend who is going to Japan for a conference, it is ok to assume that any moss that he finds on the parks/gardens there will be Japanese moss?
2. Can he sccop up some mosses, put them in a washed McDonalds coffee cup with lid, with some damp MacDonalds paper napkins and then will survive the flight back over to Singapore?

Thanks.

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## marimo

> There are some big patches near Macritchie Reservior Park's grass patch near the bridge area. ( please note it is probably illegal to take plants / even moss from our National parks so please exercise discretion - if you harvest some, don't do it in front of NParks officers/park ranger.)


if they caught you, just drool and look in their eyes like puss in boots then say , I havent ate for a month




> 1. If I have a friend who is going to Japan for a conference, it is ok to assume that any moss that he finds on the parks/gardens there will be Japanese moss?
> 2. Can he sccop up some mosses, put them in a washed McDonalds coffee cup with lid, with some damp MacDonalds paper napkins and then will survive the flight back over to Singapore?


just dont get caught pulling off some endangered specie or caught by customs in singapore for foliage regulation act. You cant take a coffee cup on to plane. best bet is to keep onto body. ahem

I am trying to get clearance for these following
Pixie Cup Lichen (Cladonia chlorophaea) with moss on bark
Methuselah's Beard
Broad leave (Platismatia glauca)
Wolf Moss lichen (Letharia vulpina)
Pillow moss - Found seller here
Fern moss
Juniper polytrichum moss (Polytrichum juniperinum)

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## felix_fx2

> I think NA opposite Thomson Medical Centre sells some Singapore Moss (aquatic version). 
> 
> For free land version, you can harvest under shady trees, and parks.
> FYI, go for a jog/walk at the parks! 
> 
> There are some big patches near Macritchie Reservior Park's grass patch near the bridge area. ( please note it is probably illegal to take plants / even moss from our National parks so please exercise discretion - if you harvest some, don't do it in front of NParks officers/park ranger.)


Taking from parks without proper approval is illegal. Got grey-zone and green ones still run headlong to red?

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## benjidog

> Taking from parks without proper approval is illegal. Got grey-zone and green ones still run headlong to red?


And just how do we apply for "proper approval"? And to who?
If someone takes some moss from under a tree in a HDB estate or under some shady spot in a park, what is the "crime"?

To the uninitiated, they would think we are some "crazy" fella to collect green slime from the ground. 
For all you know, the park ranger may not even care that you are collecting some green slime, as it not not like you are taking plants from the nature reserve.

But maybe, just don't collect from Bedok Reservior park.

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## 1112

ops. my 50cents drops and slips inside the green slime everytime i pass by this spot. and the slime so sticky to the 50cents recovered.

they will be happy that we try to clear the grass for them too.

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## limz_777

some rules to read when in a park http://www.nparks.gov.sg/cms/docs/ab...TREES-SL-1.pdf , i think park rangers knows what moss is , safer to collect from hdb area

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## felix_fx2

> And just how do we apply for "proper approval"? And to who?
> If someone takes some moss from under a tree in a HDB estate or under some shady spot in a park, what is the "crime"?
> 
> To the uninitiated, they would think we are some "crazy" fella to collect green slime from the ground. 
> For all you know, the park ranger may not even care that you are collecting some green slime, as it not not like you are taking plants from the nature reserve.
> 
> But maybe, just don't collect from Bedok Reservior park.


Collect from places not managed by nparks. So simple.
Trying to liaise with nparks can prove annoying, so I reckon the above.
If from places like carpark , ect... Much lesser to end up getting in trouble am I right to say? Do a bit of digging and you might feel the same as I do.

FYI hdb estate and carparks managed by town council. No exact law state cannot gather, unless it's very bad and can considered as an act of vandalism. If not many old folks will go botanic garden boldly to gather "herbs" (of course they still go knowing it may be deemed as wrong by park rangers).

If still anyone try, just don't get stomped! "mad man gather slime at park".

Just my 50cent, I gather before at places I know. My nearby carpark shady zone & the AP as I know management folks.

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## marimo

just in case you dont know how the park rangers look like, they will catch you


http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0...er_4_super.jpg

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## felix_fx2

> just in case you dont know how the park rangers look like, they will catch you
> 
> 
> http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0...er_4_super.jpg


This one will kick us not zap haha.
"like"

I do recall got caught for cycling in too late. Never say what was wrong, going in late or cycling in jogging track. Only remember warn us leave or he will call police as we do unlawful thing.  :Sad:

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## 1112

Nice "ranger" don't know how much they are paid for the job.

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## kcws71

But I honestly don't think they'll mind if you take moss from the ground.. It's just moss.. not some newly blossomed flower or something.

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## benjidog

> just in case you dont know how the park rangers look like, they will catch you
> 
> 
> http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0...er_4_super.jpg


Hahahaha!
While you are picking up the fifty cents coin, around comes green ranger to catch you for slime harvesting.

Just go and get some and then start a thread on your moss gathering expedition.
For the naysayers who go on about it being illegal and so on, relax dudes, it's just green slime to most people, not flowering plants. 
In fact, if you ask your neighbours, most people will thank you and give you their green moss covered rocks / stones for free.

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## marimo

AVA replies my mail

1. accompanied with a phytosanitary certificate from country of origin (plants and seeds)
2. the plants are foliar sprayed with a fungicide and insecticide and
3. the potting medium certified to be free from plant parasitic nematides OR treated with a nematicide and fungicide
4. conditions (2) and (3) have to be endorsed in the phytosanitary certificate
5. if the plants are CITES species such as orchids, catci etc, they need a special permit called the CITES permit to certify that they are artificially propagated and not from the wild
You're right. Phytosanitary certificate is required for you to bring in the plants The certificate is issued by the country of origin or the country of re-export. This certificate has to accompany the consignments

basically any plants from wild cannot be taken in.. full stop

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## cdckjn

Regarding this point, I was wondering if all moss in Japan, Japanese moss and all moss in Taiwan, Taiwanese moss? If so, we can go there, just scoop some and check into our luggage and then come back with them? Can someone confirm that all moss found in Taiwan,Taiwanese moss or we must do microscope stuff to check their leaves and things?




> I got a few questions,
> 
> 1. If I have a friend who is going to Japan for a conference, it is ok to assume that any moss that he finds on the parks/gardens there will be Japanese moss?
> 2. Can he sccop up some mosses, put them in a washed McDonalds coffee cup with lid, with some damp MacDonalds paper napkins and then will survive the flight back over to Singapore?
> 
> Thanks.

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## marimo

eh i think 'taiwan moss' 'japan moss' is just a nickname .. 
basically same as i say i grab a bunch of grass on the field. there are different species of grass type in just that bunch.

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## SnottyCat

> Hi all,
> 
> there are either on slop hill (dry) and some patch on wet land.
> 
> 
> the one on dry look like carpet and really thick and healthy. however grow together with other wild grass
> 
> 
> the one on wet also look nice but the worse is with a lot of green line algae. and i can't help to remove that. the algae too thick. if pull out physically will tear the moss a part
> ...


 I'm also interested to know the name of this moss.
It's found usually between pavement stones or at the tops of the drains. 
My mom has a few potted plants with this moss covering the exposed earth.
I have several strands in my fish tank, all held down at one end with a small rock, leaving the other ends floating up. They've been in my tank for a month now and still green and alive....even responded well to small does of Flourish Excel by growing 1 cm

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## benjidog

I am no expert, but it sure looks like Singapore Moss. 
For more indepth knowledge and reading, refer to the sticky!

http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...highlight=Moss

Happy researching and moss gathering!

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## Twigster

IF you fancy a trip to NTU, there are a tonne of beautiful patches of moss and ferns in the foresty areas. just don't go digging leaving holes in the sidewalk, go deeper into the foresty areas.

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## Twigster

Can someone please provide tips as how to gather these Singapore moss? just pluck? or do i need to dig out the soil that is beneath them.
From what i have learnt moss don't really have roots a little bit, but not essential for survival.

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## felix_fx2

> Can someone please provide tips as how to gather these Singapore moss? just pluck? or do i need to dig out the soil that is beneath them.
> From what i have learnt moss don't really have roots a little bit, but not essential for survival.


If thick growth, use penknife.
Have gathered before like this, but end up still need to filter out the non moss.

I cut a section about 10x5 cm once (only once) it had some other plants in them that melted few days when I put in my tank.

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## cdckjn

when you gather moss from around the garden or anywhere else, it is best not to take the soil as the soil normally contains a lot of "unknowns" that will potentially creat problems later on when you include into your tank. What I normally do is to soak the moss in water for half a day (flood of water) then put it on some wet tissue paper, try to remove as much soil as possible, then transfer onto some driftwood and tie with string. Wet the driftwood and slowly wet it over a couple of water, letting the moss get used to being submerged later. I have some success, but most times the moss "died" when it is put into the tank, either it is too low lighting or some other reasons. But I guess that if there is sufficient lighting, moss is the easiest "plant" to grow.

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## sidi

hi there i'm a new bie in this forum but not in aquascaping. i've tried hc for foreground but due to co2 issue all of them melted away.

so now i desperately need singapore moss for 4x2 feet aquarium foreground

If anybody selling in carpet form i will be glad to buy.(wild form also ok)

Just pm me for cod near woodlands or clementi.please drop your number too

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