It typically grows in loose, upright formations in damp, shaded woodlands rather than in peatlands, preferring areas with high atmospheric humidity.

The medium-sized moss has a pale green to yellowish-green colouring, often marked with pink or red patches, and can be distinguished from similar species by its prismatic branch appearance and parallel-sided stem leaves.

Found throughout the Northern Hemisphere, it is most abundant in oceanic and sub-oceanic regions, particularly in northwestern Europe and the Carpathian Mountains, with populations also occurring in eastern Asia and coastal North America.

A historical note involves specimens from Ireland in the syntype material, which showed atypical characteristics somewhat resembling S. warnstorfii.

[6] Sphagnum quinquefarium is a medium-sized peat moss that typically grows in loose, upright formations rather than dense clusters.

[8] The plant's stem is slender (0.5–0.8 mm in diameter) and surrounded by 3–4 layers of transparent (hyaline) cells, with a well-developed inner core that appears yellowish to yellow-brown, sometimes showing reddish zones.

They contain specialised transparent cells with ringed pores and attach to the branches at roughly 40-degree angles, creating a distinctive prismatic appearance.

[7] Sphagnum quinquefarium is monoicous, meaning individual plants have both male and female reproductive structures, though they are often found in a single-sex state.

Instead, it favours damp hillsides where it grows beneath dwarf shrubs or in open woodlands, particularly those dominated by birch (Betula) trees.

[8] The species thrives in areas of high humidity and is frequently found growing alongside other peat mosses, particularly Sphagnum capillifolium var.

[7] Sphagnum quinquefarium shows a distinctly oceanic distribution pattern, being most abundant in regions with strong maritime influence.

In the British Isles, it shows a distinctive pattern of distribution, being absent from southeastern Britain while occurring locally in northern England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.

Beyond Europe, S. quinquefarium has a wide global distribution, being found in eastern Asia and along both the Atlantic and Pacific coastal regions of North America.

However, several factors help maintain species distinctness, including different habitat preferences and geographical distributions that limit areas of contact.

While no major threats have been identified across most of its range, and no broad conservation measures are currently required,[1] the species shows marked regional differences in abundance and vulnerability.

Its preference for relatively dry, well-drained habitats rather than vulnerable peatland environments may contribute to its generally secure conservation status across most of its range.