Haircap moss

Description: Haircap moss is one of the largest mosses we have in Norway. Great haircap moss can grow up to 0.5 m tall. Haircap moss often forms carpets in woodland and on bogs. The leaves are very pointed and stand out from the stem, so that it takes on the shape of stars seen from above. They can also resemble little Christmas trees. Use: Haircap mosses have been used for brooms, whisks, mats and wreath-making. Habitat type: Woodland, Water and bog Edible: No Written by: Lærke Stewart

• Moss

  We have over 1000 moss species in Norway. Mosses do not have roots like trees and other plants. They have certain anchoring organs that hold them fast to the ground, but they do not draw nourishment and water up through these. They obtain nourishment and water from the air and take it in through the leaves. Mosses can withstand drying out for a long time, but they must have water and humid air now and then in order to complete their life cycle.

  Mosses are variable both in colour and in growth form. They can grow on soil, in trees and on rock. There are mosses in almost all habitat types, but on bogs and in the mountains in particular they can be very dominant and in fact contribute more to photosynthesis than other plants do. In woodland there is also often a great deal of moss growing. In a small area there can be many different species of moss.

  In the past, mosses were used to seal roofs, walls and boats. Today mosses are used in environmental monitoring. Mosses are, for example, used in studies of air pollution because different species react differently to different substances. A number of moss species have medicinal properties, for example an antibiotic effect.

  • Bog mosses

    Bog mosses are a genus of mosses that thrive in damp places. There are around 200 species of bog moss, and we have about 50 species in Norway. The colour can be green, red, brown or yellowish. They grow in dense carpets.

    Bog mosses have a particular growth form in which they grow at the top while the lowest part is brown and dead. The dead part of the moss does not break down because bog mosses contain bactericidal substances. For this reason, dead bog moss is continually built up at the base while the plant grows at the top. The dead parts are pressed more and more together and, after many years, turn into peat. In this way bog moss can help to create ‘land’ where there was previously open water in the bog. In many places the peat has been dug up by people and used as fuel.

    The leaves of bog mosses are built up of two different types of cell. One type is ordinary plant cells that can carry out photosynthesis. The other type is special cells that can store water. When there is drought, these cells fill with air, and the moss will look white. When water comes again, the cells fill up and the plant regains its colour. Because they have these water-storage cells, bog mosses can soak up water equal to 20 times their own weight (Bjerkely 2018). This water-storage ability can help to prevent flooding when a great deal of rain suddenly falls, because they soak up the water.

    Try taking a bog moss and another moss. Dry both. Weigh them while they are dry. Put them in water for 5–10 min. Let them drip a little and weigh again.

    Since bog mosses contain an antiseptic substance that is bactericidal, they have over time been used for storing fish, vegetables and so on. They have also been used by women as sanitary towels during menstruation and as nappies for children. In this use, both the antiseptic effect and the ability to soak up water were exploited. We can also use bog moss as toilet paper when we are out on a tur, and to wash our hands after a toilet break. And if you get an insect bite, rubbing the spots with damp bog moss can have a soothing effect.

    Peat and bog mosses have over time been harvested in large quantities, both for fuel and, in our own day, because it is a good soil improver and growing medium. Large quantities of peat soil are therefore sold in garden centres and nurseries. The problem is that it takes nature many years to build up layer upon layer of bog moss, while harvesting it goes very quickly (see the section on the importance of bogs).

Close-up of haircap moss. Photo: Gina Wigestrand

Next steps

• Bog moss — another moss
• Glittering wood-moss — another moss
• Lakes, watercourses and bogs — biotope
• Plants — the hub

Learn more

• Artsdatabanken — species, status, red list
• SNL — norsk botanikk — encyclopaedic
• Sopp- og Nyttevekstforbundet — courses and identification checks
• Botanisk forening — Norwegian botany community