Taxonomy

Division:

Bryophyta | - Mosses

Family:

Polytrichaceae

Genus:

Atrichum

Species:

Atrichum altecristatum

USDA Symbol:

ATAL6

Growth Characteristics

Growth Habit:

Nonvascular

Height:

3 cm

Light Requirements:

Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Ground Cover:

Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Caterpillars:

★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Garden & Ecology Notes

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

moist, well-drained, organic-rich soil

pH:

5.5 - 6.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

prefers shaded forest floors

Propagation & Germination

Notes:

Mosses reproduce via spores rather than seeds; spore germination requires consistently moist conditions and appropriate substrate.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI