In the era of digital technology, to know landmarks on the ground to determine the cardinal points is not as relevant as it was before. However, the situations are different, everything can come in handy. If you remember which side the moss grows on, you can confidently find the right direction.
Moss: features
Moss appeared on the planet and spread many millions of years ago, long before the advent of dinosaurs. This group of stunted plants creeping on the ground grows from spores. They do not have a real root, stem or leaves. Mosses do not form flowers and seeds. Nevertheless, they find it possible to survive in all climatic zones.
And for this they do not even need the soil. They can grow on any hard surface: stone, tree trunk, stump. On which side does moss grow on them? It will grow where conditions are most suitable. Mosses do not like light. Therefore, the southern parts of the meadow, slope, stone, stump or tree are less suitable for them.
The structure of tissues in mosses does not imply the transfer of nutrients from the soil to the top of the plant, where spores form. They take everything they need from the environment and absorb it with their entire surface. The so-called roots serve only for fixing in a certain place.
On which side does moss grow if it has managed to gain a foothold, but has to spread in different directions for development? It's not a problem. Moss can tolerate drought, grow in a changing light environment, the main thing is that there is moisture. For some time it is reserved with them. If the dry period lasts for weeks, then the plant curls, fades, and coarsens. Moisture evaporation is reduced to a minimum. It may seem that the moss is dead, but it is worth the rain, as during the night it becomes fresh and viable.
Where moss grows
These plants are not as weak and tender as it seems at first glance. Some species have adapted to live in the tropics. Others are found even in Antarctica and the Far North. On which side do mosses and lichens grow in harsh climates? In this case, it’s not necessary to talk about choosing a specific direction. If in order to melt the ice and turn it into life-giving moisture, the sunny side is required, the moss will grow there.
But the most common are mosses in the temperate zone. In the forest you can often find places where these plants formed entire carpets of soft greenery on the soil. If a stump or trunk of a fallen tree comes across the path of propagation, then this is not an obstacle. Soon they are completely hiding under this carpet.
On which side does moss grow on trees and stumps in this case? It makes no sense to look for directions in such places. Although if you look closely, you can notice the differences. The south side of the tree, more and more sunlit, will be less wet, and the green carpet there will not be so thick.
Which side does moss grow on trees
The northern part of the trunk is lit by a luminary when it is already leaning toward sunset. The low sun heats the bark less, there is more moisture left, which means that for mosses and lichens there are optimal conditions for development. If the tree trunk or stump is covered entirely with a green carpet, then you should pay attention to the part where it is larger, it is thicker and wetter. This is easier to identify at the root, at the junction of the trunk with the soil. The largest cluster site is likely to be on the north side of the horizon.
It is noticed that moss appears on relatively old trees. On the young, it usually does not happen. Does it harm the garden? Moss and lichen per se are not dangerous either to cultivated species or to humans. Some types are used in landscape design, some are used for stuffing pillows. Nevertheless, developing on the trunk, mosses cover the bark of the tree, which contributes to the deterioration of its breathing. Garden pests take shelter and find a permanent habitat in the thickness.
It is also believed that the presence of this species in the garden on the trees (it doesn’t matter on which side the moss grows) indicates excessive shading of the territory, and perhaps pruning should be done. On the other hand, the presence of lichen indicates the relative ecological purity of the garden. These plants do not live in contaminated areas. If necessary, get rid of the moss with a wooden scraper. It is stripped from the bark with this device, and the place is treated with a solution of lime or vitriol.
