What it lacks in flash , moss makes up for in ecological purpose and function . Moss even has applications in the commercial human beings . Mosses are bryophyte , or diminished plants that do n’t acquire the vascular body structure , such as xylem , that other plants have . Bryophytes grow in colonies adjoin each other , creating a lush , green works carpeting that can pass over intact Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree trunks and arm . You ’ve credibly heard myth about moss , starting with the fable that the plants grow only on the compass north sides of Tree .
Step 1
Mosses flourish on any suspect or moist side of a tree , regardless of direction of picture . Mosses erotic love moisture , and a tree ’s northern face , with its special sun , is likeliest to stay dampish . That means mosses prefer north - facing tree sides . However , in consistently coloured , damp environments , such as the Pacific Northwest , moss proliferates on every side of a tree . In areas with more sunshine and breeze circulate around trees , moss ’s first cousin , the lichen , triumph . In regions with high air pollution , neither bryophyte will produce . In the Southern Hemisphere , moss grows mostly on tree ' south sides , where shade is most prevailing .
Step 2
Mosses' Benefits
Moss does not harm anything . The plants actually ply food and rest home for dirt ball and small animate being . Mosses also put up nesting fabric for birds . deep blankets of moss prevent Lord’s Day harm to trunks and make it tough for woodwind instrument - boring insects to invade tree . disintegrate moss also adds fertilizing organic material to the dry land below the tree . Because they ’re intolerant of contaminating air , moss and lichens serve as index number species that signal pollution difficulty . Also , distressed tree diagram , especially fruit and azalea trees , are likelier to see moss than healthy trees , so sudden moss increase could alarm Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree possessor to other tree problems .
Occasional Problems
Though moss is mostly harmless , it can become a business organization in prominent colonies . Because moss constantly engage wet , it can tote up weight to a tree diagram ’s trunk and make the tree diagram vulnerable to blowing over in heavy winds . boneheaded moss lining tree branches can also land down the limb , ache the tree and anyone standing or sitting under it .
Controlling Moss
Several treatments can help if moss is affect a tree ’s sturdiness . For immediate restraint , strip off the moss , which should come off of the tree diagram in one sheet . Power wash the tree to take away moss . apply these methods only in the winter when trees or shrubs are abeyant with no new development to damage . Moss removed by paw or mogul washing will rise back . For permanent control , prune surrounding vegetation to give away more of the tree diagram to organise sunlight and airwave . Also , chemical controls , including atomic number 29 sulfate or fluxing lime sulphur , can control moss ontogeny long - terminal figure . The two chemical compound are toxic , though , and can eat nearby painted control surface and cause health job such as lasting optic damage . Consider hiring a professional tree - forethought company to apply either herbicide .
Uses of Moss
When air travel - dry , moss has a number of practical covering . It ’s used as packing textile to protect fragile objects during shipping , as decorative mulch for potted plant and as a diffused , absorbent financial support for cradleboards . Craft - store chains trade dried moss for use in preserved flower and plant arrangements .
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