Dyed Spanish Moss - Orchid Board

pasojanice · #1 07-22-2012, 11:58 AM

Hi, I have an unusual, at least to me, question regarding Spanish Moss. I usually use Spagh in re-potting or in hanging wooding baskets for my Vandas, etc.... I couldn't find any brown (natural) Spanish Moss and saw this "Decorative" Spanish Moss that seems to be a dyed green. On the package it does show an orchid planted in it. I am wondering if this would be appropriate for use within a hanging wooding basket with a Vanda or another bare root orchid. Would really like to hear some comments.
Thanks so much,
Janice in the Grand Canyon of Pa

Vanda lover · #2 07-22-2012, 01:36 PM

Spanish moss is normally gray, so I think that would be weird. Live spanish moss makes a good companion plant to help hold in moisture, but I don't think it would be very good for actually growing orchids in. Maybe you mean sphagnum moss? Some people use the live stuff for planting in. The dyed moss is likely a different kind of moss. I have started experimenting with live forest moss, since there is a lot of it here.

pasojanice · #3 07-22-2012, 02:13 PM

Hi Vanda Lover,
I ordered the Spanish Moss just to put in the wooden basket to hold in the Vanda. The roots hang down from the basket and they do get sprayed once a day. In fact, I have one that is in the other spagham moss and it gets watered as needed in order to keep damp. It is doing very well. I have another that I am going (bare root) in semi-hydroponic and that is also doing well. The minis that I have have the grayish Spanish Moss in their little hanging boxes and they are misted every day and watered at least once a week. I believe I received them that way from Andy's Orchids. It just holds the water from the mist better. I do like to experiment. Let me know how you make out with the moss you have in the woods there. Very interesting. Thanks for your reply.

Wynn Dee13 · #4 07-22-2012, 03:10 PM

I wouldn't use dyed moss. That is used for crafting and decorating purposes. The dye might run too when you wet it and that would be a mess! You can buy live Spanish moss. I have seen it on eBay and I have bought it online before too. I can't remember where though. One time I planted a Cattleya hybrid in a wooden basket with only live Spanish moss and it loved it. It grew tons of roots really fast. I sold that quite a few years ago though.

Wynn Dee13 · #5 07-22-2012, 03:16 PM

One more thing- You said you used sphag in your baskets but couldn't find dried brown Spanish moss. Sphag is Sphagnum moss which is light brownish when dried but Spanish moss is a different species. It is grey in color. I usually buy my sphagnum moss on eBay but many other orchid supply stores sell it too.

pasojanice · #6 07-22-2012, 04:10 PM

Hi,
I ordered the Spanish Moss from Amazon. Thanks for the info.
Janice

Vanda lover · #7 07-22-2012, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pasojanice

Hi Vanda Lover,
I ordered the Spanish Moss just to put in the wooden basket to hold in the Vanda. The roots hang down from the basket and they do get sprayed once a day. In fact, I have one that is in the other spagham moss and it gets watered as needed in order to keep damp. It is doing very well. I have another that I am going (bare root) in semi-hydroponic and that is also doing well. The minis that I have have the grayish Spanish Moss in their little hanging boxes and they are misted every day and watered at least once a week. I believe I received them that way from Andy's Orchids. It just holds the water from the mist better. I do like to experiment. Let me know how you make out with the moss you have in the woods there. Very interesting. Thanks for your reply.

I have some Spanish moss in with some of my orchids and also on top of the lava rock for the s/h, but it would be expensive to buy enough to actually plant the orchids in. It's hard to get here so I bought mine on ebay. It does seem to enjoy being in the vanda baskets with them and holds in some moisture fore the s/h.
I have a tolumnia in live moss that grows on trees here and so far it likes it. It has been this way for a few months now.

pasojanice · #8 07-22-2012, 07:42 PM

Wow, it would be expensive to plant with the orchids so I am using it as just a "filler" to hold the orchid in the basket and hold in some of the moisture during the spraying of the roots, etc..... I have received orchids from Andy's and some other vendors with the Spanish Moss in it already and they are doing fine. I also like the look of it. We don't have it growing here at all since we are too far north for it to live.
Janice

DavidCampen · #9 07-22-2012, 07:49 PM

I still get the feeling that there is confusing here about "spanish moss" and "sphagnum moss". The two are very different. Sphagnum moss is what is used for potting some types of orchids. Spanish moss is not a moss, it is a decorative Tillandsia that people will sometimes drape on a mounted plant but it is not used for potting.

Vanda lover · #10 07-22-2012, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidCampen

I still get the feeling that there is confusing here about "spanish moss" and "sphagnum moss". The two are very different. Sphagnum moss is what is used for potting some types of orchids. Spanish moss is not a moss, it is a decorative Tillandsia that people will sometimes drape on a mounted plant but it is not used for potting.

I agree, there could be some confusion here. But live Spanish moss is often used in with orchids to help hold moisture. It sure likes growing in with my vandas.