Glass Jar Garden

Moss

Java moss as drawn in the simulator

Java moss

Taxiphyllum barbieri

BeginnerFine in a closed jar

Soft trailing strands that cling to wood and rock. The easiest moss there is.

What the simulation uses

Light
500 to 10,000 lux
The brightness it grows well in.
Humidity
80 to 100 % RH
Air moisture it is happy in; below the lower end it dries out.
Temperature
20 to 30 °C
Comfortable range; outside it growth slows.
Dies at
below 5 or above 35 °C
Days beyond these temperatures kill it.
Soil pH
5.5 to 8 pH
Soil acidity it prefers.
Grows up
0.3 cm/month
How fast it gains height in good conditions.
Spreads
0.65 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
excellent
How well it stands soggy soil; poor means rot comes quickly.
Copes with still air
excellent
Sealed jars have still air; poor means grey mould finds it.
Copes with shade
excellent
How well it holds on in dim light.
Copes with drying
poor
How well it survives the jar drying out.
Water use
0.045 ml/cm²/day
Water that evaporates off the cushion each day in room air.
Holds water
0.18 ml/cm²
Water a cm² of moss soaks up and keeps.
Grows on
soil, stone, 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
Wet, copes with standing water

What kills it

Description

Java moss comes from tropical riverbanks and grows happily underwater or in open air. It accepts low light and a wide range of water. Keep humidity above about 70% and avoid strong light, which can let algae smother it.

Also called Bogor moss, Vesicularia dubyana (trade name).

Estimated, where sources were thin: light_lux (Tropica only says 'low'); growth rate (Tropica says 'medium'); ph; temp_lethal_c.

Sources

Grow it in a jar