---
title: Rough-stalked feather-moss in a terrarium | Glass Jar Garden
description: Rough-stalked feather-moss (Brachythecium rutabulum): A glossy, fast, weedy mat on soil and logs. Needs light 3,500 to 23,000 lux, humidity 60 to 100 % RH,...
url: https://glassjar.garden/guide/moss/brachythecium-rutabulum/
---

Moss

# Rough-stalked feather-moss
Brachythecium rutabulum

Beginner · Fine in a closed jar

A glossy, fast, weedy mat on soil and logs.

## What the simulation uses

- Light: 3,500 to 23,000 lux (The brightness it grows well in.)

- Humidity: 60 to 100 % RH (Air moisture it is happy in; below the lower end it dries out.)

- Temperature: 5 to 20 °C (Comfortable range; outside it growth slows.)

- Dies at: below -25 or above 42 °C (Days beyond these temperatures kill it.)

- Soil pH: 5.5 to 7 pH (Soil acidity it prefers.)

- Grows up: 0.04 cm/month (How fast it gains height in good conditions.)

- Spreads: 0.4 cm/month (How fast its edge creeps outwards.)

- Thickens: 6.5 %/month (How fast its cover fills in on its own ground.)

- Copes with wet: good (How well it stands soggy soil; poor means rot comes quickly.)

- Copes with still air: good (Sealed jars have still air; poor means grey mould finds it.)

- Copes with shade: fair (How well it holds on in dim light.)

- Copes with drying: fair (How well it survives the jar drying out.)

- Water use: 0.04 ml/cm²/day (Water that evaporates off the cushion each day in room air.)

- Holds water: 0.2 ml/cm² (Water a cm² of moss soaks up and keeps.)

- Grows on: soil, wood (Where it can take hold and spread. Moss that cannot grow on stone thins out there.)

## Care

- Day length: 10 to 14 h

- Substrate: Moist

## What kills it

- heat above ~25 C
- drying

## Description
This is the moss that creeps into lawns and over old logs, and it loves rich soil. It grows best below about 18 °C and struggles once things pass 25 °C. Keep it moist and away from warm rooms.

Also called carpet moss, feather moss.

Estimated, where sources were thin: photoperiod_h; humidity_rh_pct.

## Sources

- [nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/1131/1/BRYOATT.pdf](https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/1131/1/BRYOATT.pdf)
- [digitalcommons.mtu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1054&context=bryo-ecol-subchapters](https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1054&context=bryo-ecol-subchapters)
- [digitalcommons.mtu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1066&context=bryo-ecol-subchapters](https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1066&context=bryo-ecol-subchapters)
- [digitalcommons.mtu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1060&context=bryo-ecol-subchapters](https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1060&context=bryo-ecol-subchapters)

[Grow it in a jar](https://glassjar.garden/?guide=moss/brachythecium-rutabulum)

[Rock cap moss (Hedwigia)](https://glassjar.garden/guide/moss/hedwigia-ciliata/) · [Seductive entodon](https://glassjar.garden/guide/moss/entodon-seductrix/) · [All moss](https://glassjar.garden/guide/moss/)