Moss for Orchids

[plumania]

Just bought 3 dendrobiums- 2 mounted and one in basket from Andy's. This would allow me to see how they are actually mounted/potted.
I noticed that he used different size moss(small fibers for small plant and long fibers for big ones) for different size plants and the moss is green in all 3. Gives it nice look and I would like to use same for growing mine.
It is totally different from cheap sphagnum moss I have.

Does anyone know what type moss is used ?

[dope.fatboy]

All of the potted orchids that I've received from Andy's have been in sphagnum moss. The moss that's covering your mounts and pots are probably just live mosses that happened to cover the mounts after the fact. A picture would help though.

[RosieC]

There are different grades/lengths of sphagnum moss available. I've always understood New Zealand sphagnum moss can be the highest grade but I'm sure that varies as well.

Green moss is likely to be a live moss as suggested above. I have live moss a lot on my mounts, it just appears there and spreads to cover the roots and sphag.

[WhiteRabbit]

One of my mounted orchids from Andy's has moss that isn't sphag, but I don't know what it is.
You could maybe email or call Andy's to ask what type of moss they have used.

There definitely is a difference in sphag quality as well. The first sphag I had bought locally was very poor quality. More recently I found Better Gro brand sphag at Home Depot, which is very fluffy. I've also in the past bought some online from hydroponics supply that was quite good as well.

Green moss could be alive, or could be algae has begun to grow on it, which is pretty common.

[plumania]

Thanks everybody. I just e mailed Andy asking about the moss.i will try to get a picture later in the day.
I do not have access to live moss if the one on plants dies in our heat. Is it necessary to have moss?
If it is, what kind should I use ?

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

First thing's first...

Sphagnum moss is a term that is often used, but not often understood.

There are several genera and species of moss all around the world. One of those genera happen to be Sphagnum.

So if you were ever wondering why people call it "Sphagnum Moss" when you can just call it moss, that's why. It is referring to the genus of moss called Sphagnum.

Live Sphagnum Moss, in general, grow in moist/wet, cool environments. There are several different species of moss in the genus Sphagnum. Nailing moss (aka Bryophytes to us botany nerds) to their species identification is an incredibly difficult feat without some hardcore training - this includes the species of moss within the genus Sphagnum.

But if you are referring to the brands of moss, there are several different brands that come from different countries, that may be using different species of Sphagnum Moss. So the best answer you're going to get from Andy is what brand the moss he got is called, the grade or length the moss is, and/or what country the moss was packaged or collected/harvested in.

Therefore, if you're trying to get a scientific name for the 2 species of moss you see, it will be a most difficult task.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Forgot to answer your other question.

Depending on what species of Dendrobium you're talking about, putting moss around the roots to the mounted plant may not be necessary when you live in an area that has high humidity such as "South Florida".