Reviewed public profile
Sphagnum capillifolium
Sphagnum capillifolium, commonly known as red bog moss, is a characteristic and visually striking moss of raised bogs and acidic peatlands across Europe. This species forms compact, dome-shaped hummocks composed of slender stems topped with tight, star-like capitula. Its coloration ranges from green and pink to deep red or burgundy, intensifying under high light and nutrient-poor conditions. Like other sphagnum species, Sphagnum capillifolium lacks true roots and relies on specialized hyaline cells within its leaves to absorb and retain vast amounts of water, creating a permanently moist microenvironment. Its slow decomposition contributes directly to peat formation, making it an important long-term carbon sink and a structural backbone of raised bog landscapes. The species prefers open, rain-fed (ombrotrophic) bogs, typically occupying slightly elevated hummocks rather than standing water. Photo by Bernd Haynold
Open in BJURNY appGrowing profile
At a glance
- Plant type
- moss
- Size
- micro <4cm
- Light
- Bright Indirect
- Humidity
- 80%–100%
Native context
Where it belongs
- Countries
- Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States
- Ecosystems
- Boreal forest (Taiga), Moist forest, Rainforest, Temperate forest, Temperate rainforest, Tundra / Alpine, Wet forest
- Elevation
- Lowland (0–500 m), Submontane (500–1,000 m)
- Flowering
- Non-flowering
About this plant
Sphagnum capillifolium, commonly known as red bog moss, is a characteristic and visually striking moss of raised bogs and acidic peatlands across Europe. This species forms compact, dome-shaped hummocks composed of slender stems topped with tight, star-like capitula. Its coloration ranges from green and pink to deep red or burgundy, intensifying under high light and nutrient-poor conditions. Like other sphagnum species, Sphagnum capillifolium lacks true roots and relies on specialized hyaline cells within its leaves to absorb and retain vast amounts of water, creating a permanently moist microenvironment. Its slow decomposition contributes directly to peat formation, making it an important long-term carbon sink and a structural backbone of raised bog landscapes. The species prefers open, rain-fed (ombrotrophic) bogs, typically occupying slightly elevated hummocks rather than standing water. Photo by Bernd Haynold
Stable BJURNY record: tx_eddaea29cbe64ed094fa