Kokedama means “moss ball” in Japanese. It is a floral art that appeared in Japan in the early 1990s. This art consists of making a bulbous substrate surrounded by moss, in which a plant grows. This floral arrangement allows to sublimate the plant, revealing its graphic potential and at the same time releasing its creative potential. Thus, the kokedama becomes a real vegetable sculpture due to its sobriety and delicacy.
The choice of plants, a crucial element in kokedama!
For your kokedama to be a success, the plants chosen should be small and easy to grow. In addition, they must also be able to tolerate a poorly permeable substrate and they like moisture in the roots. You can choose plants for both indoor and outdoor use. Some species can live in the moss bulb for two years without any problems. Others last for a year, they quickly become cramped, you can then repot them in a classic pot. Or you can also create a new bulb that fits the new size of the plant. Ferns, orchids, but also ivy, perennials or small bonsai are particularly suitable for cultivation in the form of kokedama.
Kokedama in spring colors!
The technique of making a kokedama succeeds!
To make a kokedama you need moss, suitable substrate and a plant. When these 3 elements are together, all you have to do is form a ball with this mixture. Then remove your plant from the pot and gently scrape the soil to release the roots. Cover the roots with moss. Make a hole in the ball, place the plant there. Finally, secure the foam around the sphere with string or cotton thread. Finally, bathe the bulb in room temperature water for a good ten minutes.
Once the kokedama is ready, the lighting should be bright and slightly sunny to ensure its vigor and longevity. Direct sun should not be used as it risks burning the leaves and drying out the plants and moss too quickly. This must be placed on a more or less traditional support, mineral or vegetable to create a Zen harmony. There are several options: a ceramic plate, a black or green slate board, petrified wood, a flat stone… It can also be hung, ideal for a hanging plant.
Kokedama with a green plant!
As a landscape architect and geographer by training, I am passionate about the plant world and its countless curiosities. Founder of the Rexania blog and activist for gardening in harmony with nature, I am also an Alsatian gardener, ardent defender of ancient, free and reproducible varieties.
