Scientific Name:	Sagina subulata ( vs. Arenaria verna )
Pronunciation:	suh-JYE-nuh sub-you-LAY-tuh (vs. ar-en-AR-ee-uh VER-nuh)
Common Name:	Irish moss, pearlwort (vs. Scotch moss, moss sandwort)
Family Name:	Caryophyllaceae
Plant Type:	Ground cover, Herbaceous perennial
Key ID Features:	Low-growing prostrate perennial plant forming a thick, dense mat, stems < 10 cm long; leaves opposite, slender subulate (awl-shaped), to 1 cm long; flowers solitary in Irish moss or florets in cymes as in Scotch moss, 4–5 mm wide, five white petals as long as the green sepals; capsules 2.5–3 mm long, seeds triangular shaped, 0.4–0.5 mm, brown and smooth.
Course(s):	HORT 1155, Level 3 Apprenticeship

Habit: Dense, Spreading Form: Creeping / Mat-like Texture: Fine Mature Size: Height: < 0.1m Spread: 0.1 - 0.3m Growth Rate: Slow Origin: Europe Hardiness Rating: Zone 3: (-40 to -34 C) Exposure: Full sun Soil/ Growing Medium: Rocky or gravelly or dry, Well-drained Water Use: Low Landscape Uses: Accent plant, Alpine, Container planting, Ground cover, Rock garden, Small garden/space Additional Info: Images are of Irish moss and S. ‘Aurea’ (yellowish leaf colour). Compare Irish moss (solitary flowers) to Scotch moss (florets arranged in cymes).

Leaf Morphology: Glossary Form: Needle-like, Simple Arrangement: Opposite Texture/ Venation: Soft flexible Surfaces: Glandular hairs Colour in Fall: Green Leaf(let) Terms: Shapes: Linear Apices: Acute Margins: Entire

Inflorescence Type: Floriferous, Flowers solitary Flower Morphology: Flowers perfect Number of Petals: 5 Corolla Shape: Rotate/stellate Ovary Position: Superior Colour (petals): Showy, White Flower Scent: None Flower Time at Peak: May, Jun, Jul Additional Info: Scotch moss has florets arranged in cymes

Fruit Type: Capsule Fruit Colour: Brown, Green Fruiting Time: Jul, Aug Additional Info: Not showy

Bark or Stem Colour:

Propagation:	Seed, Division - above ground parts
Plant Care:
Maintenance:	Low
Pest Susceptibility:	Leaf scorch, Slugs or snails,

Location(s): (FEA) Field lab Equipment Area (HPZ) Horticulture PlaZa Location Map

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