Java Moss

Very pretty & feathery. Very easy to grow, too.

I have it in my aquarium & in my cats' 1 gallon water bowl. The cats d...Read Moreon't eat it, just drink around it & there is a good sized clump that looks like it fills the bowl. I occasionally take it out & squeeze it out a few times under running water to clean it. I never fertilize the cats' plant but it always grows quickly & is an attractive dark green most of the year. A tiny piece will spread itself out to fill a surprisingly big area.

Sometimes it grows so thick it lightens up & yellows in the center & then it is time to thin it out so all parts can get enough light. To propagate, just pull a piece off & drop it in water. You don't see roots, just all greenery with no up or down in the water. If you don't want it to float around, you can anchor it to a piece of driftwood or rock with an elastic band & it will attach itself.

I have this in my low-light aquarium, and it's perfect for baby fish to hide in until they're big enough to safely venture out. I did hav...Read Moree more lighting, but it grew so fast it filled my small tank. It is now much more manageable, but still healthy.
It's getting hard to find in the aquarium stores here, though.

Great for breeding fish. Super for controlling nitrogen in small aquatic containers or water "pots." Decorative in aquascaping, turning...Read More driftwood "branches" into foliated "trees."

Occasional extra growth is useful rinsed & dried as floral moss for wire planters, or shredded as "green manure" for mature terrestrial plants.

Becomes invasive in ponds. Thrives on good circulation. Tends to jam up filter intakes/outflows. Growth can be somewhat controlled by limiting light.

Native to Southeast Asia. To prevent escape and competition with your local native flora, do not use in ponds that drain into creeks or wetlands, or in areas prone to flooding.