Moss For Plants: What It Is & How To Maintain It — Plant Care Tips and More

All Léon & George plants include Preserved Forest Moss as a final touch.

So you want to put moss on your indoor plants. Decorative moss is a wonderful covering for potted plants, and there are a few things you should know to keep your houseplants and moss looking beautifully polished year round.

What is moss for plants?

Preserved forest moss is exactly what it sounds like— real forest moss that’s been preserved! That means it’s not alive, and requires no major maintenance over time. Moss is used widely as a decorative topping for indoor potted plants. Moss is also the material of choice for assembling terrariums or maintaining soil humidity. When following the method for staging your plant, it’s the finishing touch for hiding less attractive details such as nursery pots and staging materials.

Our Preserved Forest Moss is non-toxic and safe to have in homes with curious pets and children. It’s placed as a light covering and can be watered over during your usual watering routine.

How to use your moss

Giving your houseplants a polished look is easy! Follow these simple tips when using moss covering on your plants:

Separate - Using your hands, separate any clumps and shake out dust particles. You want your moss to be nice and fluffy, leaving space for the soil to access natural airflow.

Spread - Place the moss over the topsoil of your plant and spread out evenly between plant stems, to the inside edges of your decorative pot.

Fluff - Fluff the moss one more time to create a nicely balanced look and to double check that the soil has space for airflow.

Here’s how to fluff the moss atop your plant:

Using your fingers, rub pieces of moss together to create space and break up any clumps. The moss should appear light and curly, not flat and condensed. Occasionally life the moss to check the soil beneath. If you see white spots or mold-like growth, worry not! Most fungi is beneficial for plants, though this would be a good time to fluff the moss and check for air flow.

Despite not needing any maintenance like real, living moss would, we recommend fluffing yours on occasion for optimal plant health. This maintains better soil aeration (aka air flow to your plant's roots), and let's be honest -- it just looks nice!

Maintaining your moss over time

While decorative moss can last for years, it will dry out and fade over time. Replace your moss every 1-2 years for a fresh look.

What about water? Preserved moss does not need water, but it also doesn’t mind getting wet. Water freely over your moss during your regular watering routine.

All Léon & George indoor plants come with preserved forest moss as the final touch. It requires no upkeep and serves no purpose beyond simply giving your plant a polished look!

Leon & George Large Zanzibar — Large Zanzibar Gem by Léon & George, complete with plant, ceramic pot, wood stand and preserved forest moss