Irish moss ( Sagina ) is a fleeceable ground cover with tiny white flowers in late spring . easy reminiscent of an Irish landscape painting in toy , it lend a healthy chromaticity to the garden as it spreads between rocks and steppingstones . It is not actually a moss , says an article by Cheryll Greenwood Kinsley of Washington State University , and , indeed , it ’s not always referred to as one . The USDA lists other common name , such as pearlweed and Corsican pearl-weed .

Types

One mintage of Irish moss is commonly available along with its loan-blend , the yellow - dark-green Scotch moss ( Sagina subulata Aurea ) . There are other metal money of sagina feel in the wild that do not have cosmetic purpose . Of the 11 metal money on the USDA ’s plant database , three are annual , four are perennial , two are biyearly and two are nameless . All but three are aboriginal to some part of North America . The Irish moss in our garden comes from Europe .

Geography

Irish moss and Scotch moss are stout in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 to 7 . north-polar pearlweed ( Sagina saginoides ) grows as far northwards as Greenland and Confederate States of America to California , showing how adaptable the genus can be . Cheryll Greenwood Kinsley writes that Irish moss is native to Scotland and that the Latin meaning for Sagina Is " fattening , " perhaps so named because the sheep did so well in fields where Irish moss grew .

Features

Irish moss spread in soft mound and will fill in steadily if an area is to its liking . The flowers dot the foliage in May and June . Scotch moss is n’t quite so inflexible , but will fill in as well . The wild pearlweed varieties seem to have a looser crawling drug abuse and some have larger white flowers , but all species look moss - alike . According to eFloras , many , such as the risky version of Irish moss , grow in " pie-eyed , gravelliy sand " next to streams or on wayside .

Cultivation

Irish and Scotch moss can farm in full sun with adequate piddle . In full shade , they will not have a profusion of blossom . dawning sun is best . Both variety hate to dry out , but if this happens , water will revive them in most cases . Plant in a well - enfeeble soil with some compost . Cheryll Greenwood Kinsley recommend using a slow - release fertilizer in saltation . Propagate by part , which involves part section of the root mat .

Invasive Tendencies

Irish and , to a less extent , Scotch moss can have incursive tendencies . Then again , some gardeners ca n’t grow the plant at all . If you find them in shoes where you did n’t constitute them or want them , you may describe them as invasive . Irish moss propagates itself more easily than Scotch ; it reseeds itself readily . fortuitously or unfortunately , plants will choose the best areas for their purposes .

References

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