---
title: Java moss in a terrarium | Glass Jar Garden
description: Java moss (Taxiphyllum barbieri): Soft trailing strands that cling to wood and rock. The easiest moss there is. Needs light 500 to 10,000 lux, humidity 80 to...
url: https://glassjar.garden/guide/moss/taxiphyllum-barbieri/
---

Moss

# Java moss
Taxiphyllum barbieri

Beginner · Fine 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

- drying out below ~70% RH
- prolonged heat above ~30 C
- algae smothering in high light

## 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

- [en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxiphyllum_barbieri](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxiphyllum_barbieri)
- [tropica.com/en/plants/plantdetails/taxiphyllum-barbieri-java-moss/4521](https://tropica.com/en/plants/plantdetails/taxiphyllum-barbieri-java-moss/4521)

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

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