Any reason not to use Irish Moss as a "lawn" in a bonsai pot?

Doc

Hey Doc,
I don’t know much about trees, but if that moss is the Chondrus crispus, it needs much higher humidity what I assume, a tree can support.
(Maybe some older Willow can?)

Felidae wrote:

Hey Doc,
I don’t know much about trees, but if that moss is the Chondrus crispus, it needs much higher humidity what I assume, a tree can support.
(Maybe some older Willow can?)

Hi Felidae,

No, I'm talking about the other Irish moss, Sagina subulata.

DogDoc wrote:

No, I'm talking about the other Irish moss, Sagina subulata.

Sorry.. I’m not too familiar with common names. That bugger is much more realistic. I grew it in my rock garden long years ago. I hope someone will chim in, who’s used under bonsai, cause I’m interested also!

Felidae wrote:

DogDoc wrote:

No, I'm talking about the other Irish moss, Sagina subulata.

Sorry.. I’m not too familiar with common names. That bugger is much more realistic. I grew it in my rock garden long years ago. I hope someone will chim in, who’s used under bonsai, cause I’m interested also!

There are several plants called Irish Moss. It's funny this happened. I run an herbal medicine school (homegrownherbalist.net) and am always telling my students to use latin names of plants instead of common names when seeking info on the net for just this reason. Hopefully none of them are watching. I'd never live it down. LOL

DogDoc wrote:

Hopefully none of them are watching. I'd never live it down. LOL

Looks like you’re in our hands..

That’s right! Common names just make confusion, specially in international platforms.. like the internet..

I might put sagina in a separate, small pot as accent plant, but never in a pot together with a bonsai.

Auk wrote:

I might put sagina in a separate, small pot as accent plant, but never in a pot together with a bonsai.

You didn’t recommend cause it cannot support brighter, sunny spots (thinning, drying), or it have an other reason?

Felidae wrote:

You didn’t recommend cause it cannot support brighter, sunny spots (thinning, drying), or it have an other reason?

that's one reason - it may have different requirements than the tree. But I don't want it in my pots as I do not want anything to compete with the (roots of the) tree.

Auk, what would you suggest as a good alternative?