Sphagnum Moss
Materials
Also: sphagnum, peat moss, bog moss, turbasammal
The genus of moss (~380 species) that dominates raised bogs and is the primary source material for cosmetic-grade peat. Sphagnum is not just a passive plant — it actively engineers its environment by acidifying water, suppressing bacteria, and creating the waterlogged, oxygen-poor conditions that form peat.
Key Properties
- Absorbency — Holds up to 20× its dry weight in water (used in WWI wound dressings)
- Acidity — Actively exchanges cations for H⁺ ions, acidifying surroundings to pH 3.3-4.5
- Antimicrobial — Produces sphagnan (antimicrobial polysaccharide) and phenolic compounds
- Preservation — Creates conditions that preserve organic matter for millennia (bog bodies)
From Moss to Peat
Living sphagnum grows at the bog surface. Dead moss accumulates and slowly transforms over thousands of years into peat through humification. The deeper and older the layer, the more humified — and the more bioactive — the resulting peat.