Uses for Reindeer Moss

Reindeer moss, also called Caribou moss, is actually a type of lichen. Reindeer moss is a greyish sea-green and has a dry, brittle appearance. Lichen grows very slowly, and it can take years to replenish itself once picked or eaten. This spongy lichen grows in the Arctic and in the north, and has several different uses.

Animal Nutrition

Reindeer moss earns its name by being a key food source for wild reindeer. It can grow in extremely cold weather, making it one of the few organisms that can thrive in the tundra where caribou live.

Human Nutrition

A number of companies in Scandinavia manufacture reindeer moss commercially to sell as a powder which can be used to thicken soup. Reindeer moss was used as an emergency food for Native Americans, who were able to glean some carbohydrates from the lichen, along with vitamins A and B.

Decoration

A long lasting outdoor centerpiece or holiday wreath can be made with softened reindeer moss, which can handle shifts in weather better than most fresh flowers. Reindeer moss can be used in bouquets as a filler and as a way to keep the flowers from shuffling out of place.

Medicinal

Boiled reindeer moss has been traditionally used to stop diarrhea. Iceland has been using treated, uncontaminated reindeer moss for more than a century to take care of digestive problems and side effects related to tuberculosis.

Toys

Because it retains its shape and has leaf-like qualities in miniature, reindeer moss is frequently used to stand in for bushes and treetops in model railroad sets.

References

• Blue Planet Biomes
• "Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses" (revised edition); James H. Miller and Karl V. MIller; 2000
• Caribou Moss: Traditional Medicine