It is a living planter as well as a distinctive display piece. Kokedama is the practice of taking the root ball of a plant and suspending it in a mud ball, which is then coated with soft green moss. The moss ball is fixed to a platform or suspended from string with the plant growing out from the sphere. It is an accent to that mode of plant display where a moss ball is the focal and supporting point for a sculpted tree or plant. What is a Kokedama? It is a form of Japanese garden art that is centuries old and tied into the practice of bonsai.

You can practice the art of Kokedama yourself with just a few items and minimal skill. A Japanese moss ball makes a personalized gift or simply an interesting accent for a favorite plant specimen. Instructions and classes on the how-to for this skill abound on the Internet and plant forums.

This moss ball has experienced a resurgence as a modern art form useful for uniquely presented plants and flowers. The art of Kokedama literally translates from “koke” meaning moss and “dama” meaning ball.

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