Moss is one of the foundational pillars of a vibrant terrarium.
It’s the lush green carpets and soft rolling hills of a terrarium that really pull a scene together and make it pop!
Whether you need dynamic texture or pristine mossy mounds, there’s a perfect moss type for you. It’s just about picking the right moss and knowing how to use it.
So, in this guide, I’ll take you through the best moss for terrariums (based on years of testing) and show you how to use them for maximum visual effect.
Ready to find out how to grow moss like a boss? Let’s go!
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Key Types of Terrarium Moss
There are literally thousands of moss species in the world.
From the beautifully soft Feather Mosses to the weird, spiky Star Mosses, there’s something for every taste and project. Each brings a different visual flavor and can perform a different role in a naturalistic terrarium setup.
So, what kind of moss do you use in a terrarium?
Well, any kind that can thrive in the warm and humid conditions of a terrarium is a candidate…. and that’s potentially a lot.
That’s why I have a few handy ways to narrow down the list.
- Growth patterns (e.g., Clumps or sheets).
- Environmental suitability (e.g., Tropical or temperate).
- Planting type (e.g., Terrestrial or epiphytic).
Next, I’ll take you through these types of terrarium moss so you know what to look out for and how to use them.
Growth Patterns
Moss is often characterized by two types of growth patterns: Acrocarpous and Pleurocarpous.
(Don’t worry; the names aren’t so important once you know how to tell them apart).
Acrocarpous grows in clumps. These little grassy mounds add lots of shape and texture, so they’re particularly good at creating a dynamic landscape (think rolling hills or grassy hummocks).
This can make a huge difference, as a flat-looking terrarium can easily look unnatural.
Clumpy mosses also hold together well – and tend to remain quite compact – so you can quite literally sculpt a landscape by tearing off appropriately sized chunks and putting them together like a jigsaw.
Alternatively, Pleurocarpous moss grows in sheets. Otherwise known simply as Sheet Moss, these are best for covering an area with a natural moss carpet.
They’re great for covering the soil layer and giving that important natural woodland look.
Some mosses can even look like larger plants or tiny trees (e.g., Fern Moss) and can be used to add a sense of scale.
Terrarium Suitability
Like any other plant, different types of moss will be suited to different environments.
For tropical closed terrariums, we’re typically looking for those that like it warmer and wetter – but moss is ever the adaptable plant! You’d be surprised what species might work.
Tropical mosses seem like the natural fit – and that’s often correct – but several of my favorite terrarium mosses are actually temperate species (more on where to find those later).
All that to say that environmental suitability is definitely the most flexible category, so feel free to try moss from different climates to see if they can adapt.
But if you want a reliable option, there are a variety of tried-and-tested moss species to choose from.
Planting Type
Finally, we have how the moss likes to be planted.
Just like in nature, moss grows anywhere and everywhere.
Naturally, lots of moss likes to grow on top of soil/substrate. These are your terrestrial mosses, and they can loosely attach using some little root-like structures called rhizoids.
But moss loves to grow on hard surfaces like rocks, logs, and trees, too. These are called epiphytic mosses, and they open up a world of terrarium planting opportunities.
Attach it to your hardscape branches to bring the upper areas to life!
The Best Moss for Terrariums
There are a lot of good contenders here.
Your ideal moss is going to depend on the particulars of your terrarium, but that doesn’t mean you have to whittle down the 12,000-strong list to make your shortlist.
I’ve done that for you…
Clumpy Mosses (Acrocarpous)
1. Cushion Moss/Bun Moss (Leucobryum glaucum) are wonderful compact mounds of moss that I absolutely love to work with! It’s so much fun to sculpt and display.
2. Mood Moss (Dicranum scoparium) is another popular option for terrariums. It grows in dense clumps, but it has lush, wavy leaves that look like windswept grasslands
Carpeting Mosses (Pleurocarpous)
1. Sheet Moss (Hypnum), as the name implies, likes to grow wide and cover areas like a sheet. It’s a relatively low-growing tropical moss, and it’s probably the most popular/readily available carpeting moss used in terrariums
2. Fern Moss (Thuidium delicatulum) brings lots of texture to a terrarium with its long fern-like leaves. I love the warm colors and woodland vibes this moss brings.
Check out our full range of terrarium moss for sale on our store.
Other Mosses
1. Sphagnum Moss doesn’t quite fit into the list above, but it’s a mainstay in modern terrariums (see why in our sphagnum moss guide). Commonly used as a medium to grow other mosses and terrarium plants, it’s a versatile moss, to say the least – See on Etsy
2. Java Moss (Taxiphyllum barbieri) is equally happy on land and water (making it a great paludarium moss/vivarium moss). However, it really shines when planted epiphytically on rocks and wood! – See on Etsy
Moss can be surprisingly hardy stuff, so feel free to experiment with different types.
I’m certain many of the 11,994 other mosses would be great for a terrarium – check out our Terrarium Plants Index to browse more great mosses.
How to Grow Moss in a Terrarium
Moss is the most versatile terrarium plant, and there are endless ways to use it.
These rootless wonders can be used as a natural landscape/gap filler in a wider tropical terrarium scene, or you can go all-in on moss and create a pure moss terrarium (otherwise known as a mossarium).
Either way, there are a few key principles to apply to any new terrarium project.
- After adding moss to a terrarium, the first 3 to 4 weeks are a critical acclimatization period. During this time, it’s important to make sure any moss is kept hydrated throughout to give it the best chance to adapt successfully.
- Hydrating moss before use is always a good idea. I just soak it in clean water; it removes debris and hydrates the moss nicely. Win-win.
- Clumpy mosses tend to stay compact, so you’ll need to sculpt your own landscape. Meanwhile, sheet mosses can be torn up and placed evenly around a terrarium (they’ll grow out in every direction and eventually join up!).
- If you want to get extra creative with moss positioning, you can use superglue to stick moss to surfaces (don’t worry, it’s genuinely safe for plants) or tie it with a fishing line to attach moss to your terrarium elements.
What’s Your Favorite Terrarium Moss?
What’s your terrarium moss of choice?
If you use any types not listed in this article, I’d love to hear them in the comments below!
Already got your moss? Why not check out the terrarium supplies available on our online store?
What else can I grow in a moss terrarium?
All sorts! Generally, moss likes a high moisture and humidity, so any terrarium plants that match those requirements will work well together.
Ferns or small plants that prefer a moist, and filtered light environment.
I have bought some moss, and I have popped it into an air tight Tupperware container till I’m ready to use it. Should I put a gravel layer under it? Or some soil? Or is it ok just in the Tupperware alone?
Some mosses can do fine on their own (usually the aquatic mosses like Java Moss) but for most terrestrial mosses, they’ll do better with some soil underneath them. That way they’ve got something to attach to and draw moisture from.
Hello! congratulations for the site. very useful .. i have a question about moss. to grow it must remain in a closed container? thank you!
Hi Valeria, I’m so happy you’re finding the site useful. As to your question, generally yes because moss really needs constant moisture to thrive – and that’s so much easier to achieve in a closed container.
Will moss grow well in an open terranium?
Hi Kim, it’s a lot more difficult to grow moss in an open terrarium as it won’t retain moisture as well.
My husband has started a mossarium (thank you for the word – I didn’t know there was one!) for me a week ago. We now see a few small, white fluffy spots that appear to be mold? Can we fight that, or must we start over?
Thank you so much for your site!
Cynthia
Don’t worry, a little mold bloom is totally normal as new terrariums settle in. I like to spray my terrariums down with a chamomile tea infusion (it contains natural antifungal agents) or you can vent your terrarium a little too (but not too much or you’ll risk drying out the moss).
Springtails will eat mold, they can be super helpful with upkeep. Gave a friend some springtails for her terrarium recently and the mold disappeared within the week.
Hi Dan,
Great info here. Thank you for that!
I recently purchased a fishbowl style terrarium with some moss and small plants in it.
I was told to water the roots with a direct spray about once a week and mist daily.
Would you recommend misting the moss multiple times a day (2-3) since it’s and open top?
I just started it and would love to keep it alive!
Thanks again and all the best,
Greg
Thanks Greg! It’s hard to say exactly how often you’ll have to mist it; as the temperature, humidity and amount of light in the room all have an impact on how quickly it’ll dry out. That being said, fishbowls can still retain a certain level of humidity depending on the size of the opening, so I doubt you’ll have to mist multiple times per day.
Hi, how many times would you suggest to water a cushion moss in a closed terrarium? I’ve been trying to find an answer, all I find is 7-12 days, but then with its water cycle, should I water once a month or twice a month?
If you have a working water cycle in your closed terrarium then I’d say a good misting once a month is probably about right.
Heyy!! Nice Blog!!
I want to know on what kinds of base materials can I stick moss? Example a wooden panel, a plastic carpet or mat, a foam sheet etc.? I plan to do some DIY projects and am a bit confused on whether the moss that i stick on any of these shall survive? What special care do i have to keep in mind?
Thank you so much 😊 I find coarser surfaces to be best, as the moss rhizoids might struggle to attach to super smooth surfaces like plastic.
Id recommend wood, cork, porous rock and webbing. It’s can be helpful to add some sphagnum between the surface and the moss to supply consistent moisture, and you can initially bind it all with thread till the moss attaches.
Hope that helps!
Do u need to fertilize moss in closed terrarium?
Nope, I don’t think it’s necessary in the vast majority of cases.
Great tips on here! I have a large tank that is being used as an orchid vivarium. My goal is to have some moss on the ground level but I do not want to use a “soil” type substrate and prefer to use gravel. Will this work for growing moss or should I use a little soil substrate where the moss will be placed? I have been successful growing moss on the wood that is contained in the vivarium.
Thank you.
Thanks Brian! It often depends on the moss. Some species can grow fine on hard surfaces like rock, but many will benefit from a medium that can hold a little bit of moisture.
Could anyone suggest what I can do with multiple types of clean moss I preserved lots of it and it’s all very green. A moss buyer will buy it but I don’t think the price is worth my work I put into it. I’m addicted to picking moss. And as a hobby. I don’t tear down the scenery for people or Rob the forest but I pick enough moss I could stand to add a dedication to moss or even helping reforest. I have lots of time to use for a purpose I would stay interested in. Anyone think of any ideas. I studied mushrooms and plants here in the pnw for my own thing to do. I like the environment and learning about what’s around me.
Hey Audrey, there’s all sorts you can do with moss alone (especially if you have a large supply of it). Have you considered making a preserved moss wall? Or maybe you can add to glass tables, or just make lots of mossariums 😊
I picked fluffy cushion moss from my own yard with nice layer of soil stuck underneath. Should I wash off all that soil before adding into my new Terrarium?
Your blog is very informative. I hope to receive your fast reply. Thank you so much.
sx
I would wash it off yes 😀 You don’t know what kinds of microorganisms could be in there.
Hi Dan,
It’s a really good read~ Learn a lot! I live in a tropical climate country, recently thinking of building up one of my own terrarium. However I want it in my room, I’ll probably have to get a grow light. As most of the time my room is with with air condition (23-24 degree celcius) I’m not sure if mosses are ok…
Glad to help Gary. Moss should do absolutely fine at that temperature (I’m very jealous that you consider that cold). If you make a closed terrarium that’ll help a lot too from a moisture and humidity point of view.
Ahhh I see. I think maybe it should called cool instead of cold. Hee 😬. I intend to make a cover for the jar that I just got, with an opening but covered with mesh cuz I’m not sure if there will be bugs… :/ I got drift wood as well, so if I have moss on the bed, will the moss start growing up to the drift wood?
It should do as long as it has plenty of moisture and humidity! You can help it by adding some saturated sphagnum moss into the wood’s nooks and crevices to supply extra moisture.
Wow such useful information. I do have some questions tho. I am planning in getting a chameleon and am currently in the process of decorating the enclosure. Since my chameleon needs good airflow the two sidewalls and front door will be mesh and the back will be glass where im designing a background from wood and dirt. Where i live has super high humidity levels up to 90% and temperatures can drop to the low 60 F. I would like to cover the logs and whole back wall in moss but im not sure which will do best in my circumstances. Thanks for all the help!
The high natural humidity should help a lot! and I wouldn’t worry too much about temperature drops to 60 F, most moss should handle that range. High airflow (and fans if you have them) might contribute a little to the moss drying out, so I’d just take some extra care to mist it a bit more often.
Hi. I’m looking to ‘rescue’ moss covered windfall branches that litter the paths of my local woodland. I love how they look. Is this a viable goal? And can lichen also be contained within the same terrarium? These branches are usually coated in lichen too. West Scotland do a wet temperate zone. Thanks, Eddie
I think lichen should be able to adapt, though I’ve not tried it personally yet 😀 I think the main issue you might run into is mould if you’re using damp natural wood. It’s hard to know what kind of microorganisms you’re bringing in and the branches themselves might be decomposing.
I have tried putting lichen in my closed terrarium and it always molds. Lichen is half fungus and half bacteria, so it’s not a plant and doesn’t work quite the same way as moss does.
Hi Dan,
I think I’ve killed my terrarium. I think initially by not watering enough. The moss has turned brown and the creeper has lost most of it’s leaves. Is there a way to revive it?
Hi Samantha, i’d just give them as much moisture and humidity as possible (without waterlogging them) and hope for the best. Browned moss can be hard to recover as a whole, but it might have live bits that could pull through and you can later remove the dead bits.
Is it best to plant moss tight in a terrarium or leave a little room between the pieces? Thanks!
Either is fine, moss doesn’t get upset like plants do when they’re squished together.
Hi Dan,
So I just preordered this mossarium and silly me, the mossarium is like a wide, a bit high glass with no cover.
Can you recommend with what should I cover it?
Hi Andrew, I tend to order acrylic lids cut to size. If you need a new lid it might as well fit perfectly 🙂
I bought plexiglass sheets at a local store and cut them to size with one of those razor blade knives…you have to use a straight edge and score the plexi deeply 8-10 times, then snap the plexi against the edge of a table or something. I have read you can also use a dremel type cutter to cut in curves. Good luck!
In a pinch, you could cover it with plastic wrap until you get something more permanent.
Awesome site! Thank you so much for all the information.
I’m feeling a bit intimidated by all the knowledge that seems to be required for making a terrarium; however, I will soldier on.
I bought what looks like dried spagnum moss in a package yesterday and then just read that that is not appropriate for terrariums. I will instead harvest some from outside. I live in the Pacific northwest where we are lucky to have wonderful forests full of moss growing on trees, on the ground and on rocks. (Even so, I know we need to be very careful how much we harvest.) If I were to find a couple rocks with moss, could I use those, and would I need to clean them first ?
Thanks so much, Dan!
Jacqueline
Hi Jacqueline, sphagnum moss is actually great for terrariums (just not so much for the environment). Personally, I don’t harvest my own moss as there’s always a risk of bringing in unwanted pests. I’d give it a thorough clean and quarantine first if you do.
I’ve seen some terrarium builders soak their moss before planting it in the terrarium. Is this the correct thing to do for all mosses? I can understand the practice for Java moss, but maybe not others?
I tend to do it with all of my terrarium mosses just to get them started off on the right foot.
Well…….. never thought I’d get so interested or excited over moss – thanks Dan this site is fascinating. Just completed my first closed terrarium today – harder than it looks !
Keep up the fascinating blog.
Regards
Mike
UK.
Hi Dan. I’ve been reviewing all your information on moss. It’s been helpful as I’ve tried many times to grow moss unsuccessfully. This time I’ve collected some moss growing on wooden beams in my yard. It’s currently in a large jar with a medium sized opening. Why does the moss grow stringy. Sometimes these springy parts climb the glass sides. Can I prevent this somehow?
Hi Tina, it’s probably a lack of lighting. Plants (including moss) tend to get stringy as they reach toward a light source.
I just join this hobby and this Article help a lot.
Read every Comments and Dan’s Replies.
On point,Informative,interesting.
Thanks a lot.
Is it possible to grow moss submerged in an aquarium. I picked some from my lawn, washed off most of the dirt, and soaked it in a glass bowl filled with aquarium water. A month later I added the moss to my freshwater aquarium, so far it is dark green with new growth that the fish love to nip at.
Hi Dan,
Thanks for the tips! These were super useful. However I’m having trouble keeping my moss alive in my terrrarium and I’m not sure what is the problem:
The terrarium is in my bathroom which gets indirect bright sunlight all day. But it sill managed to dry out. I alsso made a small open moss garden and slowly it’s turning brown, i keep it in my living room which also has west-facing windows.
Any tips? thank you so much.
Hi Miguel, unfortunately it can be hard to precisely diagnose moss problems! The terrarium ion the bathroom sounds good, so I’d check if it’s getting too much heat or is lacking moisture. An open moss garden is unlikely to last though, it really needs the closed environment to get enough humidity.
Hi Dan,
I live in Delhi, India and it gets really hot here during summers. All my moss becomes brown then. Any way I can keep it green and lush?
I’m afraid moss can be tricky in extreme temps! I’d have a look to see if there are any native mosses you could use.
I love your site and your store. I’ve ordered each kind of moss from you several times. I can’t seem to keep fern moss from turning brown. I just can’t tell if it’s getting too much or too little water and/or too much or too little light. I’d love to get your advice since I really like the look of the fern moss. Thanks!
Hi Dave, thanks so much for your support! It’s really appreciated. As for brown moss, in my experience it’s typically too much water and/or too little light (I’d probably start by testing less water).