Medicinal Monday - Goldilocks Moss

Perhaps part of the name for this moss, Goldilocks comes from what scientists refer to as the Goldilocks Zone which refers to places where water remains liquid. For example, Earth is thought to be in the "Goldilocks Zone" because much of the surface of our planet is covered by water as opposed to Mars which is too cold and whose atmosphere is too thin, or Venus which is too hot. Polytrichum commune or Goldilocks Moss is found in many countries and has numerous medicinal properties. In addition to medicinal uses, the stems were sometimes used to weave baskets or mats.

About Goldilocks Moss

Polytrichum commune, an evergreen perennial, is considered to be very large for moss with stems growing more than 12 inches in height.  It is found in temperate climates and typically grows along wooded slopes, sandy woods, prairies, sandy meadows, and along rivers or in swampy areas. It grows across much of North America and can also be found in Mexico, parts of China, New Zealand, and Australia. It grows in colonies as a dense ground cover that forms a mat. 

credit Stan

Plytrichum commune has an erect unbranched light brown, hairless stem that has small pointed leaves that jut out from the sides of it. The leaves are lance-shaped and serrated along the edge. When the leaves are dry they are erect and when they are moist, the leaves spread out straight. The tips of the leaves are prickly.  It has small thread-like rhizoids that grow from the base of the plant and anchor it to the soil. This moss has egg-bearing female plants and sperm-bearing male plants. The male plants can be identified by their red splash cups made up of a rosette of leaves. This plant is most often cross-fertilized by raindrops when a single spore capsule emerges. This spore is reddish brown and when its hood falls off, a white membrane becomes visible that eventually shrivels into tiny spores that are released to the wind.

Medicinal Uses

Common uses of this moss by Native American communities include making a tea that was used as a rinse to strengthen hair. An infusion was made and taken to aid in dissolving kidney stones or to bring down a fever. Another common use was to make a tea that was given to women to speed up labor during childbirth.

Did You Know...

Other names for this moss include common hair cap, great golden maidenhair, pigeon wheat, or common hair moss.

This moss gets its name from the hairs that cover the cap of its spore case.

In traditional Chinese medicine, this moss was used to treat fever and to treat leukemia.

In New Zealand, this moss is used as a decorative material on Maori cloaks by being woven into the fabric.