# shingle moss (*Neckera pennata*)

Shingle moss is a soft, green plant that grows on rocks and trees. It looks like tiny green shingles and helps keep the environment healthy by holding water and providing homes for tiny creatures.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Forests

![shingle moss](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Neckera_pennata.JPG&width=800)

Photo: Laisverobotams, CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Neckera_pennata.JPG)

## Appearance

The shingle moss has flattened, overlapping leaves that create a smooth, tile-like mat. It typically appears a glossy, bright green when wet, dulling to an olive or brownish-green when dry, often found clinging to tree bark.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Bryophyta
- **Class:** Bryopsida
- **Order:** Hypnales
- **Family:** Neckeraceae
- **Genus:** Neckera

## Interesting facts

- If you look closely, shingle moss creates a miniature forest, providing homes for tiny insects and water bears!
- Instead of seeds, shingle moss releases incredibly tiny spores into the wind, like microscopic dust, to reproduce!
- Mosses, like shingle moss, do not have true roots; instead, they use tiny rhizoids to anchor themselves!
- Shingle moss helps prevent soil erosion by holding moisture and soil particles in place, especially on slopes.

## Special abilities

- **Moisture Magnet:** Shingle moss can absorb water directly through its leaves, acting like a sponge to quickly soak up rain and dew.
- **Resurrection Power:** Shingle moss can completely dry out and appear lifeless, but it can revive and become green again when moisture returns.
- **Clinging Conqueror:** Shingle moss has specialized structures that allow it to firmly attach to rough surfaces like tree bark and rocks.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 2-10 cm
- **Spread:** 5-30 cm
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial

## Ecological connections

- **Shelter:** [Sugar Maple](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sugar-maple) (*Acer saccharum*) — Often grows epiphytically on the bark of this tree.
- **Eaten by:** Red Slug (*Arion rufus*) — These slugs may graze on mosses like shingle moss.
- **Shelter:** Tardigrade (*Ramazzottius varieornatus*) — Moss mats provide a microhabitat for these tiny 'water bears'.
- **Shelter:** Green Springtail (*Isotoma viridis*) — Springtails often live among mosses, finding food and shelter.

## Traits

- [Nonvascular](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nonvascular): This trait characterizes plants lacking specialized vascular tissues (xylem and phloem) for transporting water and nutrients.
- [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.
- [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

It's safe to touch, but be gentle and don't pull it off the rocks or trees.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify shingle moss?

Compare growth form, branching, tiny leaves and any spore capsules. Mosses, liverworts and lichens can share a spot but are very different organisms. Moss Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is shingle moss?

2-10 cm

### How wide does shingle moss spread?

5-30 cm

### Is shingle moss edible?

No

### Is shingle moss toxic?

None

### What is shingle moss's lifecycle?

Perennial

### Where is shingle moss usually found?

Forests

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Shingle Moss: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/shingle-moss)