Willow Moss (Fontinalis antipyretica)

Willow Moss (Fontinalis antipyretica)

A native aquatic moss for natural ponds, wildlife cover and submerged planting in cool clear water

Willow Moss (Fontinalis antipyretica) is a native aquatic moss that grows in submerged conditions and creates soft, natural looking green cover. It is especially valuable in wildlife ponds, natural ponds and planted water features where you want a more established, habitat rich appearance.

Unlike rooted potted oxygenators, Willow Moss does not grow from aquatic soil in the usual way. It is an aquatic moss that can attach to stones, wood, pond edges or suitable underwater surfaces over time.

The soft branching growth provides excellent micro habitat for small pond creatures, aquatic insects, tadpoles and young newts. It also adds natural texture to areas that may otherwise look bare or artificial.

Willow Moss grows best in cool, clean, well oxygenated water. It can be slower to establish than vigorous stem oxygenators, but once settled it gives a very natural finish and can provide useful year round cover.

This plant is a good choice where you want a native submerged plant with a softer look than bunches or basketed oxygenators. It combines well with water crowfoot, hornwort, potted oxygenators and marginal planting.

Potted Oxygenators and Bunched Oxygenators

Potted oxygenators are supplied rooted in aquatic soil and are usually placed on pond shelves or in shallow water. They often provide useful cover near the water surface, making them valuable for amphibians, froglets and aquatic insects.

Bunched oxygenators are usually weighted and placed into deeper areas of the pond, where they can sink towards the pond floor and root into the substrate.

Willow Moss is best treated as an anchored aquatic moss rather than a standard potted oxygenator or loose bunched oxygenator. It can be positioned in submerged areas where it may gradually attach to stones, wood or suitable pond surfaces.

Key Benefits

• UK native aquatic moss
• Creates natural submerged cover
• Excellent micro habitat for pond insects and amphibians
• Useful for stones, wood and natural pond edges
• Soft green texture for wildlife ponds
• Good for cool clear water
• Can provide year round habitat in suitable conditions
• Pairs well with other oxygenating plants

Reasons to Buy

• A more natural alternative to standard oxygenator bunches
• Useful for creating established looking pond features
• Excellent for wildlife focused ponds
• Good for adding texture to bare underwater areas
• Native and highly suitable for natural planting schemes

Care Instructions

• Place the moss into a cool, clear part of the pond, ideally where it can rest against stone, wood, gravel or another suitable surface.
• Do not bury it deeply in compost. It is an aquatic moss and should be kept submerged and moist at all times.
• Avoid very warm, stagnant or heavily polluted water. Willow Moss performs best in cleaner, well oxygenated conditions.
• Trim or thin gently if required, and leave removed material beside the pond for 24 hours before composting.

Flowering Period

Willow Moss does not produce flowers. It is grown for its soft submerged moss growth and wildlife value.

Size and Growing Conditions

Dispatching Your Pond Plants

Your Willow Moss will arrive as freshly prepared weighted bunches, ready to place directly into your pond.

Each bunch is carefully prepared and weighted to help it sink naturally and establish in a suitable position.

Plants are dispatched fresh during the growing season and may vary in appearance depending on the time of year, water temperature and current nursery growth.

Open the packaging promptly on arrival and place the bunches into pond water as soon as possible. Never allow bunched oxygenators to dry out.

To avoid plants being held in depots over a weekend, we do not usually dispatch on Fridays. Highlands and Islands orders using a 2 day service are not normally dispatched on Thursdays.

Explore more oxygenating pond plants or browse our complete pond plants range. Need baskets, aquatic soil or planting essentials? Browse our pond plant baskets and aquatic planting supplies.

🇬🇧 UK-grown aquatic plant: Grown at a dedicated aquatic plant nursery in the South of England and carefully prepared for delivery across the UK.