Irish Moss
Chondrus crispus

Ball of green, pink, and pale-yellow Irish Moss leaves on a grey wood surface.

Acadian Seaplants

Irish moss grows thickly along rocky areas of the Atlantic Coast. It is soft and flexible when fresh, but flaky when it dries.

Aerial view of an Irish Moss farm on land with large, square structures, next to the ocean.

Acadian Seaplants

The Acadian Seaplants facility in Charlesville, Nova Scotia, is the world’s only land-based Irish moss farm. Consumers in Japan really like this multicoloured product!

Good to Know . . .

Postcard of a man standing in water, gathering Irish Moss with a scoop, with a horse-drawn cart moving through water in the background.

Malak Karsh. “Gathering Irish Moss,” © Malak Photographs Ltd. PEI Museum Postcards Collection, PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation, and UPEI Robertson Library

Islanders have collected Irish moss for generations on Prince Edward Island. They use different techniques, such as horse-drawn scoops. This industry boomed after the Second World War, and peaked in the 1980s.

Irish moss and other seaweed convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis. During this process, seaweed takes in carbon and releases oxygen.

Wooden bowl with brown and purple dried Irish Moss.

Imladris01/iStock

Did you know that seaweed is a sustainable food rich in vitamins and minerals? It contains more iodine than any other food. Iodine is a mineral we need for good thyroid function.

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