New Zealand sphagnum moss is recognized worldwide as a premium product in the orchid growing industry. It grows naturally in the wetlands of the West Coast of the South Island and is renowned for being long lasting with excellent water holding capacity (20 times its own weight in water). Spagmoss’ versatility gives rise to many additional applications from carnivorous plant growing to reptile bedding.

Sphagnum cristatum is the most common variety harvested in New Zealand. It has a much larger leaf and stem structure than other moss types giving it stronger and more robust growing properties. Compare this to Chilean moss which is composed mainly of Sphagnum megallanicum. This is a reddish colored moss which has very short strands but is very leafy. It has lower water holding ability compared to NZ moss. Chemical analyses show that this moss can also contain high amounts of soluble salts and has the potential to accumulate salt ions when nutrients are applied.

New Zealand sphagnum moss contains a naturally occurring antibiotic called Tropolene. It has been used for centuries as a wound dressing due to its high absorbency and ability to inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi. Harvested from carefully managed, sustainable swamps, the natural beneficial properties of Spagmoss are enhanced by Besgrow’s exceptional production process. Spagmoss is hand-picked, naturally air dried, and cleaned through a series of both mechanical and manual techniques to ensure a maximum Water Holding Capacity (WHC) of 96%. This allows the moss to retain water and nutrients for easy release to the plant without accumulating unwanted salts.

The most popular grades of Spagmoss are Classic length and Premier length. Both grades are processed using the same techniques – the only difference being the length of the strand.