Calliergonella cuspidata
pointed spear-moss
Container Friendly
Native to North America
SunFull Sun – Part Shade
WaterHigh
Overview
Calliergonella cuspidata is a pleurocarpous moss forming loose, spreading mats of irregularly branched shoots 2-6 inches (5-15 cm) long. The shoots are green to yellow-green, and the tightly overlapping leaves at each growing tip fold into a sharp, spear-like point that gives the moss its common name. Stem leaves are broadly oval and concave, 0.04-0.1 inch (1-2.5 mm) long, without a midrib or with a very short double one. The plant lacks true roots, anchoring instead by slender rhizoids, and absorbs water and nutrients directly across its surface. It spreads by branching growth and by fragments that root on damp ground. Spore capsules are produced only occasionally: curved, cylindrical, and reddish-brown, held on red stalks 0.8-1.6 inches (2-4 cm) tall, ripening in autumn and winter. Growth is fastest in cool, moist conditions and slows in summer drought, when shoots may bleach and brown. It forms persistent patches in damp turf and tolerates seasonal waterlogging, but thins out where the ground stays dry for long periods.
Native Range
Widespread across the temperate Northern Hemisphere, including Europe, Asia, and North America. Grows in damp grassland, fens, marshes, dune slacks, lawns, and moist woodland rides, on neutral to base-rich soils that stay wet for much of the year.Suggested Uses
Grown in bog gardens, around ponds, and in moss gardens and terrariums for low green cover on damp ground. Suited to consistently moist, shaded to open sites where it forms spreading mats. In managed lawns it is usually treated as a weed of wet, compacted turf rather than a planted species.How to Identify
Appearance
Colors
Foliage Colors
Bloom Information
This moss does not flower. Spore capsules form occasionally, ripening through autumn and winter on red stalks. Vegetative growth is most active in the cool, moist months from autumn to spring and slows during summer dry spells.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
green to yellow-greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 2-8 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Water & Climate
Water Needs
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grows in full sun to partial shade on consistently moist to wet ground, including lawns, damp turf, and the margins of ponds and bog gardens. It needs steady moisture and tolerates seasonal waterlogging, but shoots bleach and brown where the surface dries for extended periods. No feeding is needed, as the moss absorbs water and nutrients across its surface. It establishes from fragments scattered on damp soil, which root and branch within a few weeks. In lawns it spreads in compacted, poorly drained areas and competes with grass in wet seasons. Raking and improved drainage reduce its cover where it is not wanted.Pruning
No pruning is required. Patches can be lifted, divided, or thinned by raking to control spread or to start new growth. Clearing surface thatch and leaf litter keeps the shoots exposed to light.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing