Funaria spp.

cord moss

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

Overview

Funaria spp. is a genus of small mosses in the family Funariaceae, found almost worldwide and most familiar through F. hygrometrica, the common cord moss or bonfire moss, which quickly colonizes burnt ground, bare soil, and disturbed sites. As a moss, Funaria spp. is non-vascular: it has no true roots, flowers, or seeds, anchoring instead by thread-like rhizoids and reproducing by spores. Plants form low green to yellow-green tufts only 0.2-1.2 inches (5-30 mm) tall, with small, soft, oval leaves crowded toward the stem tips. After fertilization, each shoot produces a slender stalk (seta) that is strongly twisted and changes shape with humidity, bending and straightening as it dries and wets. At its tip sits an asymmetric, pear-shaped, ribbed spore capsule that nods to one side, ripening from green to orange-brown. Funaria spp. grows on damp, often nutrient-enriched soil, ash beds, greenhouse pots, paths, and walls, appearing fast after fire or disturbance and fading as larger plants move in. It needs moisture to grow and complete its spore cycle and dries to a dormant state in drought.

Native Range

Funaria spp. has a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on every continent including parts of Antarctica. F. hygrometrica occurs on all continents and is found on disturbed and burnt ground around the world.

Suggested Uses

Funaria spp. is little used in horticulture and is encountered mainly as a spontaneous colonizer rather than a planted moss. It acts as an early stabilizer of bare and burnt soil and is used as a study subject in botany and in research on moss biology. Its quick appearance can mark recently disturbed or fire-affected ground.

How to Identify

Recognized as low green to yellow-green tufts of small, soft, oval leaves on damp, disturbed, or burnt ground. The clearest feature is the spore capsule: an asymmetric, pear-shaped, ribbed structure that nods sideways on a long, twisted stalk which coils and uncoils as humidity changes. This combination of a hygroscopic twisted seta and a lopsided capsule identifies Funaria spp..

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Width/Spread1" - 4"

Colors

Foliage Colors

green

yellow green

Fall Foliage Colors

no change

Bloom Information

Funaria spp. does not flower. Spore capsules develop on the twisted setae mainly in spring and early summer in temperate regions, though in mild and watered sites they can appear at other times. The capsules ripen from green to orange-brown over several weeks and release spores as they dry and the lid falls away.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

green to yellow-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

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

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.0 - 8.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand clay

Drainagemoist

Water & Climate

Water Needs

High

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Funaria spp. grows on consistently moist, often nutrient-rich or ash-enriched soil in sun to part shade, and is one of the first plants to cover bare or burnt ground. It is rarely cultivated deliberately but appears on its own in greenhouse pots, on paths, and on damp walls. Moisture is the main requirement, as the moss needs a film of water to grow and to complete fertilization and spore release. In drought it dries to a dormant, brittle state and revives when wetted. It is not fed or pruned, and it fades naturally as taller plants shade it out. No pests or diseases are of concern.

Pruning

Funaria spp. is not pruned. In settings where it is unwanted, the tufts are scraped or lifted from pots, paths, and soil surfaces. Reducing surface moisture and nutrients slows its spread.

✓ Toxicity

Non-toxic

Moss