Peat moss

Peat moss

Peat mosses (Sphagnum spec.) are the building blocks of the moors. Due to their special properties, they are adapted to life in moors. They can still absorb nutrients in extremely low concentrations. In doing so, they give off hydrogen ions and thereby create an acidic environment that is unfavourable for other plants. They have practically unlimited growth. They die at the bottom and are preserved as peat, but at the top they continue to grow steadily. In dry periods they reduce growth to a minimum. However, if enough water is available again, they can store 30 times their dry mass in water. For this they have special storage cells, the so-called hyaline cells.