Sphagnum Moss Wisconsin's Invisible Industry
SPHAGNUM MOSS
WISCONSIN'S INVISIBLE INDUSTRY
Marshy sections of Jackson, Monroe, Wood and
Clark countless produce large quantities of
Sphagnum moss, providing a major but little
known state resource. The ability of Sphagnum
to hold 20 times its weight in water makes it
invaluable for keeping plants and nursery
stock alive in shipment. It is also used in
hydroponic gardening, for air shipment of
flowers, and because it is sterile it is used in.
surgical dressings and In seed germination
to prevent fungus attack in seeds. Sphagnum
replaces Itself in the central wetland marshes
after harvest and is ready to be pulled again
every three years. Harvest seasons run from
spring until marshes freeze In the fall. Over
300,000 bales are pulled annually for shipment
all over the world. No other state produces
Sphagnum commercially.
Erected 1974