Enjoy fairy moss as an underplanting beneath taller water-garden favorites like canna or papyrus. These are the best plants for your water garden.
How to Care For Fairy Moss
Fairy moss grows fastest in full sun (at least 6 to 8 hours of direct light per day), but it tolerates sites that see only morning sun. The less sun it gets, the slower fairy moss grows, which means it is less efficient at blocking algae and slower to improve water quality. This is an easy plant to grow—all you need to do is float it on the water’s surface. Once established, it usually grows quickly in warm weather. Once fall arrives, its foliage takes on reddish-purple tones. In areas where it is reliably hardy, you can leave it outdoors in your water gardens. In colder areas, it’s best to treat it as an annual; bring some indoors to overwinter in a bright place floating in a large bowl of water or aquarium. Take it back outside in spring after all danger of frost has passed.
