Like other mosses of this type it can soak up water up to the 30-fold amount of its own dry weight thanks to its elastic spiral fibers.

The epidermis (Hyalodermis) of the stem is built in three layers and their cells form 1 to 3 seldom more pores and contain much spiral fibers.

Sphagnum palustre plants are spread across the whole of Europe and also can be found in parts of America, Australia and New Zealand.

Although the environment does not allow the plant to reproduce sexually via spores, it is capable of spreading through vegetative reproduction.

In a project called Mossclone which is part of the 7th framework program of the European Union the peat moss Sphagnum palustre will be multiplied in moss bioreactors to create a measuring tool to track air quality in Europe.