Bryozoan subulate: features and secrets of growing Irish moss

Bryozoan (Sagina subulata), sagina or Irish moss from the Clove family is a perennial ground cover plant with a cushion growth habit. The height of the sagina is only 5-8 cm. Its creeping, branching stems are covered with thread-like bright green leaves. The roots are superficial, densely entwining the top soil layer.

As the plant grows, it covers the ground with a magnificent green carpet, reminiscent of moss, which is resistant to trampling and adverse weather conditions, creating its own comfortable microclimate inside the loose cushions.

Sagina blooms from June to August with numerous small white and very fragrant flowers on long stems. 'Aurea' is a very popular design variety with yellow-green stems and golden yellow leaves. Its flowering is less abundant, but its advantage is its highly decorative appearance.

Bryozoan subulate: description, decorative forms and varieties

Bryozoan subulate is sometimes called Bryozoan stylifolia or Sagina. A pincushion growth form is characteristic - the stem, strongly branching near the soil itself, produces many shoots. The leaves are bright green, small, turning at the apex into a point up to 1 mm in length. Flowers with five white petals, up to 5 mm in length, bisexual. As it grows, it takes the shape of a loose pillow. Inside the pillow, its own microclimate is formed - the shoots are protected from the adverse effects of winds and are well warmed up by the sun's rays. Resistant to adverse climatic conditions. Prevents the growth of weeds. Slowly growing. Used in landscaping to create flower arrangements.

In relation to light - heliophyte (light-loving plant). Tolerates lack of moisture well - xerophyte. Blooms from June to August. Consistently decorative all year round.

Decorative forms:

• Sagina subulata var. subulata – sepals covered with glandular hairs;
• Sagina subulata var. glabrata – sepals are bare;
• Aurea – yellowish leaves.

On sale you can find the “Surprise” bryozoan variety, which is characterized by an adult plant height of up to 8 cm and abundant flowering with white flowers. The Krispy variety has a variety of bryozoan that blooms with yellow flowers.

Chemical composition

The high medicinal properties of Icelandic moss are due to the diverse chemical composition of the plant.

Compound	Grams
Squirrels	1,51
Fats	0,16
Carbohydrates	12,29
Ash	4,70
Water	81,34

The mineral composition is presented in the table:

Minerals (per 100 g of moss)	Milligrams (mg)
Iron	8,9
Calcium	72
Sodium	67
Magnesium	144
Zinc	2
Phosphorus	157
Manganese	0,4
Copper	0,1
Selenium	0.7 mcg

Thanks to its diverse chemical composition, Icelandic moss is an effective remedy for treating many diseases.

Bryozoan subulate: planting and care

Bryozoan subulate, growing over 2 years and covering large areas with a continuous carpet, allows you to maintain moisture at an optimal level in open sunny gardens.

Requirements for soil and planting material

Requires well-drained neutral or slightly acidic soil. Before planting, the soil is moistened. The most favorable soil is naturally moistened by precipitation.

Substrate with optimal composition:

• coarse sand – 2/3;
• leaf soil or peat – 1/3.

A 1:1 mixture of heavy loam and peat is also suitable for growing. Clay can be added to sandy loam soil, adding it in a layer of up to 10 cm superficially, without digging.

In flower shops you can purchase bryozoan seeds with white or yellow flowers, as well as ready-made seedling material.

Growing bryozoan subulate from seeds

In March, seeds are sown scatteredly in low trays with nutritious soil from a mixture of turf and leaf soil. The surface layer is passed through a sieve. Before sowing, the soil is moistened and slightly compacted and leveled with a smooth plank placed on its edge. Sprinkling with soil is not required. The trays are covered with plastic wrap and placed in a warm place at 25º C. After germination, the seedlings are transferred into larger containers. They are planted in a permanent place in early May, keeping a distance of 5–10 cm between seedlings. Bryozoan reproduces well in the future by self-sowing - from the ripened boxes the seeds fall into the ground and germinate. Seeds can also be planted directly into the ground.

Despite the fact that bryozoan is considered an unpretentious plant, it requires careful adherence to all agricultural practices during reproduction and cultivation.

Basic rules of care

Regular watering is required. Do not allow the soil to dry out between waterings . Loves partial shade, but tolerates sunlit areas.

For normal growth, fertilizing is carried out:

• ammonium sulfate, especially necessary in the first year of life, is applied in early spring and in the first half of July - 45 g/m²;
• superphosphate, which promotes growth and resistance to drought, is fed three times - in spring, summer and autumn 16 g/m²;
• potassium, thanks to which shoots grow well and the plant develops resistance to frost, is added three times at 10 g/m².

A carpet of bryozoans does not tolerate heavy trampling, so boulders scattered across the lawn serve not only a decorative function. You can lean on them while weeding.

Disease Prevention

Bryozoans can die from excess moisture or freeze out in a snowless winter.

Non-communicable diseases are caused by unfavorable external conditions:

1. When the temperature drops sharply in autumn, the bryozoan does not have time to adapt to the cold and freezes out. Phosphorus fertilizers applied before frost help withstand frost.
2. Damping off occurs when snow falls on wet and still warm soil. The plant does not fall asleep, but continues to develop in conditions of lack of light and nutrients. More often occurs with excess nitrogen nutrition, in wet clay areas.

With excessive acidity of the soil, excessive application of phosphorus, and frequent irrigation, the plant experiences a lack of iron, which manifests itself in the form of chlorosis - a pale yellow color. If such changes occur, complex fertilizers are applied.

Bryozoans can be harmed by aphids, which can be eliminated with the help of insecticides.

Preparing seedlings

You can grow bryozoan subulate from seeds yourself. The best time to plant seedlings is from March to April. To plant moss seeds, you need to choose wide containers.

The planting mixture should consist of garden soil, humus and sand in a ratio of 1/½. Fill shallow containers to ¾ of the height with this mixture. Then spray the soil with a sprayer and sow the seeds.

Bryozoan seeds are very small; for ease of planting, you can use a syringe. Moss seeds are sown on the surface of the soil, without being buried in the ground . After this, be sure to cover the containers with film or glass.

In a week, shoots should appear. The sprouts emerge very fragile, so the seedlings are hardened off . To do this, you need to open it briefly. They pick up Irish moss in bunches.

Gallery: Irish moss (25 photos)

Plant propagation technology

The most effective way of propagation is by dividing the bush. It provides high survival rate. In spring or early autumn, adult plants are divided. Each part must have intact stems, shoots and roots, which in bryozoans are superficial, densely entwining the top layer of soil.

Plant in soil freed from weeds and moistened. Pieces of the plant are planted either next to each other or at some distance, depending on the amount of planting material. The bryozoan quickly takes root , grows and forms a continuous green carpet. 15–30 plants are enough per 1 m².

The turf can be cut into pieces with a shovel and planted.

Where does Icelandic moss grow?

Lichen prefers to grow in coniferous forests, peat bogs, and forest-tundra mountains. It can often be found among stones growing in poor soil.

Widespread in Australia, North America, and Africa.

In Russia it prefers to grow near rivers, on the edge of a pine forest. The two main conditions for its development are high humidity and good light. It is worth collecting only in an ecologically clean area, otherwise the beneficial properties are neutralized by toxins.

Irish moss lawn and other uses in garden design

Bryozoans or Irish moss are used to create a non-grass lawn. Fill large gaps between tiles scattered in artistic disorder on the path. They frame paths and are used for landscaping rocky areas, alpine hills or areas with a small nutrient layer.

• Even in a small area, using natural motifs - soil, stone, stream or a small artificial decorative pond, you can create a picturesque corner. The banks of the reservoir are decorated with natural stone, in the gaps of which bright green, creeping bryozoans are located.
• The bryozoan is able to overcome a small boulder, hiding it completely under its cover.
• The bryozoan carpet combines beautifully with coniferous trees and shrubs - juniper, thuja, fir, boxwood. Plants of different heights look advantageous in a multi-tiered composition.
• As an imitation of moss, it can be used to create compositions in the Japanese style. Bryozoans can be planted separately; they fit harmoniously into any style, both landscape and regular.
• If the area is small, you can limit yourself to bryozoans and a few boulders - to create a laconic composition. Indispensable when creating mountain landscape installations and on the terraces of rocky gardens.
• Bryozoans look good next to succulent plants. Planted in a flower bed with bulbous plants, it acts as mulch - it protects the bulbs from moisture loss and prevents the growth of weeds.

The advantages of such a lawn

Irish moss, the rules for growing which will be described below, has a lot of advantages.

• Easy to maintain - the green covering does not need to be mowed. The grass is short, so this is not necessary.
• Rare watering of bryozoans. The exception is particularly dry periods, when absolutely all plants should be additionally moistened.
• A grassy carpet is not afraid of physical influences - you can sit, lie, walk and run on it, the cover will not seem trampled, but, on the contrary, will become dense.
• Soft moss planted in the garden practically prevents weeds from germinating nearby.
• It quickly covers the soil - its ability to grow will help to quickly hide damage in the lawn without additional cultivation of seedlings and their replanting.

During the months of flowering of the awl-shaped plant, the lawn is decorated with thousands of small white dots, which pleases the eye and enlivens the local area, and a honey aroma comes from the bryozoan flowers.

Growing awl-shaped bryozoans at home

Bryozoans usually sow places that are difficult to reach for care. The area is cleared of weeds and the plant is planted. As the season progresses, it is necessary to weed out grass and weeds between the plants.

In areas where water stagnates, drainage can be constructed:

• remove the soil layer;
• distribute drainage material (gravel, broken brick) in an even layer up to 15 cm and compact thoroughly;
• Place a layer of sand up to 10 cm high on top and compact;
• Place fertile soil on top and compact it with a roller (you can use a 100-liter barrel of water as a roller).

At home, bryozoan is grown from seeds. Seeds germinate best in light. Then the seedlings are picked and planted in a permanent place in May. After planting in the ground, the seedlings must be watered daily for two weeks - it is important to keep the soil moist , but not to allow waterlogging. Seedlings can be protected from sunburn using white spunbond. Treatment with EPIN will allow the seedlings to take root faster. To prevent freezing, mulch with fallen leaves for the winter.

The advantage of a non-grass lawn made from bryozoans is that it does not need to be mowed - the height of 5–8 cm is constantly maintained. The bryozoan, growing, does not allow weeds to take over its territory.

The surface of a bryozoan carpet is never uniform. Bizarrely hilly, shimmering with green undertones and shades, reminiscent of a velvet tablecloth. Using the capabilities of this seemingly inconspicuous plant, you can create fantasy mini-gardens in any, even hard-to-reach, corner of the garden.

Icelandic moss: botanical characteristics

In addition to its main place of growth - Iceland, Cetraria can be found in Russia, North America, Great Britain, Scandinavia, and Antarctica. Icelandic moss has 2 chemotypes that are difficult to distinguish from each other, but they are called Cetraria islandica.

The young shoot of Icelandic moss is called a thallus. Its height varies between 1-10 cm. The thallus is often greenish on top and light brown underneath. If you dry the thallus and grind it into powder, you get a natural medicine. Popularly, Icelandic moss has received other names. It is called musk, liver grass, cetraria, fucus, lichen.

Benefit

What are the healing properties of Irish moss? It is rich in many minerals and nutritional components. Thanks to its healing and dietary properties, seaweed has a positive effect on health. They do not pose a danger to humans.

Carrageen consists of the following components:

1. Vitamin A. This component renews skin cells, restores its top layer, eliminates dryness and flaking. This leads to smoothing out wrinkles and gaining elasticity in the epidermis.
2. Vitamin B1, B2. They prevent premature aging of the skin.
3. Vitamin C. It has a stimulating effect on collagen fibers, which actively restores them. The skin will be protected from pigmentation, and blood vessels will be strengthened.
4. Vitamin E component moisturizes the skin, makes it elastic, and prevents aging.

The healing properties of Irish moss are as follows:

1. Due to its high iodine content, carrageenan is useful for radioactive poisoning.
2. It has an antimicrobial and antiviral effect, which allows you to fight infections and have an excellent effect during the treatment of throat diseases. It will help eliminate skin inflammation and soften the epidermis.
3. Treats stomach diseases, including diarrhea and ulcers.
4. Protects against the appearance of excess fat in the body and the accumulation of cholesterol.

These are all the properties of Irish moss, due to which it is used in many areas. Although such algae are useful, it is still preferable to consult a specialist before using it.

Usnic acid is a natural antibiotic

The medicinal properties of the plant are largely determined by the presence of a natural antibiotic, usnic acid, in combination with other specific organic compounds.

Usnic acid is characterized by the following positive effects:

• antiviral;
• insecticidal;
• anti-tuberculosis;
• analgesic;
• antibacterial.

It is important to know that the concentration of ausic acid in the plant largely depends on the harvest season. It is most abundant in the summer, least in the autumn-winter.

Preparations based on Icelandic moss actively fight pathogens, viruses and infections, promoting the overall strengthening of the immune system and strengthening protective reactions.

Increasing immunity is the task of usnic acid

Pharmacological properties

Lichen has a positive effect on the body:

• normalizes metabolic processes;
• increases immunity;
• prolongs youth;
• has regenerating properties.

In addition, Icelandic moss is famous for its tonic, disinfectant, choleretic, antibacterial, analgesic, sedative and expectorant properties.

Traditional healers use cetraria to treat colds, tuberculosis, oral infections, and diseases of the skin and gastrointestinal tract. Helps cope with depression, improves sleep.

Indications for use

Icelandic moss has various indications for use:

1. Diseases of the respiratory system, which are accompanied by fever, runny nose, severe cough with sputum discharge.
2. Allergy. It is used to relieve reactions such as rashes on the body, itching, and skin irritations.
3. Disorders and diseases associated with the gastrointestinal tract, which are accompanied by diarrhea, bloating, painful cramps, constipation.
4. Cetraria improves metabolism, accelerates metabolism, and is therefore indispensable for weight loss.

The vegetative parts of the liver herb are used to prepare tinctures, tea, decoctions, syrup, and jelly.

Traditional medicine recipes

From Icelandic moss you can prepare a decoction, alcohol tincture, infusion, tea, syrup.

Cetraria decoction

To prepare the decoction, take milk or water - whichever would be more pleasant for you to drink the healing remedy. Traditional healers have come up with several recipes for preparing a decoction.

Quick decoction

For 1 tbsp. boiling water take 2 tsp. dry crushed moss. After mixing, it is necessary to heat for 30 minutes in a water bath. Before drinking, you can add honey and lemon to the drink. Helps with bronchitis.

"Yugoslav drink"

In preparation it is similar to tea. Add 1 tsp to a mug of boiling water. dry moss. It is advisable to drink the aromatic drink before bed after infusing for 10 minutes. Good for relieving tension, fatigue, combats insomnia, and normalizes sleep.

"Five Minute"

For half a liter of milk or water 2 tbsp. l. moss. Mix everything, bring to a boil in a water bath, then remove from heat and strain. Take warm with the addition of lemon, honey or other herbs.

You don’t need to spend a lot of time preparing healing drinks, and the benefits from them will be enormous.

Alcohol tincture

For 1 liter of strong alcoholic drink, you can take vodka, 100 g of dry lichen plates. The alcohol must be of high quality so that the body does not become intoxicated.

After mixing the ingredients, it is recommended to put the vessel with the future tincture in a dark place and leave for 7 days. Directions for use: 3 times a day, 15 drops, adding them to water or tea.

Alcohol tincture helps to cope with severe coughs and cure respiratory diseases. In addition, it will reduce bad breath.

Infusion

A healing infusion is prepared from 250 ml of purified water and 2 tsp. crushed dry moss. The mixture is brought to a boil and immediately removed from the stove. Leave in a warm place for 2-3 hours.

A layer of mucus will be visible at the bottom of the completely cooled infusion. It is this that provides the greatest benefit to the body. Therefore, it is necessary to stir the drink before use. The infusion improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and relieves pain.

Ointment

Two types of ointments can be made based on lichen:

• hydrophilic or water-soluble;
• on a starch-glycerin basis or fats.

The latter quickly deteriorates, so there is no need to cook it. It is recommended to use it already prepared quickly.

As for water-soluble ones, such products, after cooling, take on the consistency of jelly. After use, a film remains on the skin.

Ointment: base – starch-glycerin. To prepare the product you need to take 7 g of wheat starch, 7 g of water and 93 g of glycerin. Mix all ingredients and heat in a water bath, stirring constantly. You should get a homogeneous light-colored mass weighing 100 g. After cooling, you will have to add 1.5 tsp to it. Icelandic moss powder and stir. Gradual absorption of the ointment contributes to a good effect. Helps with burns and spider veins.

Ointment for problem skin. A concentrated decoction should be prepared from 1 liter of water and 1 kg of moss. Boil for 15 minutes, then cool. The finished ointment can be used to lubricate cuts, burns, scratches, acne and other problem areas on the skin.

Tea

A cup of tea will be useful for colds, asthma, bronchitis, and gastrointestinal diseases. But drinking cetraria tea is recommended only not during an exacerbation. The drink increases appetite, strengthens the immune system, and increases the body's resistance to viruses and infections.

It is advisable to drink for preventive purposes to improve immunity. To prepare a healing drink you will need to take 2 tsp. lichen, add 500 ml of water and boil over low heat for 10 minutes. After this, remove from heat and wrap in a warm blanket. Leave for 35 minutes. Drink one cup (not a mug) several times a day.

Syrup

Prepare 5 tbsp. l. crushed dry lichen, pour 500 ml of boiling water. Mix the ingredients and boil for 5-6 minutes. During this time, the moss will completely dissolve in water.

Pharmacy drugs

Increasingly, you can see medicines based on Icelandic moss on pharmacy shelves. These include:

1. Syrups for coughs, diseases of the lungs, bronchi, and respiratory tract. “Gerbion” and “Pectolvan” are widely popular.
2. Lozenge tablets for resorption, reducing sore throat, mitigating dry cough.
3. Creams and ointments, which also include bear fat, propolis, and other medicinal herbs. They are effective for colds, bruises, and joint pain.
4. “Sodium usinate” is a product produced since Soviet times that is effective for burns, wounds, and cracks.

The composition of pharmaceutical drugs is characterized by maximum thoughtfulness. Each component here only enhances the properties of the other.

Isla - lozenges based on Icelandic moss

What types are there?

In total, there are more than 50 species of bryozoans , distributed on almost all continents. On the territory of Russia, 12 species of this plant are most common, among which three of them deserve special attention:

1. bryozoan , the shoots of which are densely covered with small needle-shaped leaves of light green color. This variety grows slowly, forming quite dense thickets. The bryozoan blooms in early summer;
2. recumbent _ This variety is native to Eurasia. It is distinguished by small leaves and inconspicuous flowers. It grows equally well both in the light and in the shade. This species is considered a weather-resistant weed;
3. awl-shaped. This variety is native to Western Europe. A perennial plant with dense, evergreen, mossy-shaped cushions. Bryozoan awl-shaped blooms in July-September.

In the photo there is a subulate bryozoan