Taxonomy

Division:

Bryophyta | - Mosses

Family:

Polytrichaceae

Genus:

Atrichum

Species:

Atrichum undulatum

USDA Symbol:

ATUN2

Growth Characteristics

Growth Habit:

Nonvascular

Height:

6 cm

Light Requirements:

Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Ground Cover:

Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Caterpillars:

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

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

invertebrates, amphibians

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

4.5 - 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic)

Drainage:

good drainage preferred

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

commonly found in shaded woodland areas

Propagation & Germination

Notes:

Mosses reproduce primarily via spores and vegetative fragmentation rather than seeds; spore germination requires consistent moisture and appropriate substrate.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI