Why does moss grown on the NORTH side of objects?

Question

Is that even true?

Yesterday, I was sitting in a parking lot and noticed the moss on some trees. I turned my car on to see the compass, which then said I was facing south. The moss was facing north. Is that true in all cases?

Answer 1

No..not really...moss will grow on the darkest, dampest side of an object...

This is generally toward the slightly northen direction...but I would not be basing my survival skills on it.

Answer 2

idk

Answer 3

If you are in the northen hemisphere, you get more sunlight from the south. Automatically, the northern sides are darker, damper which favor growth of moss.

Answer 4

of course its true

Answer 5

No, moss grows all around the trees, the rocks, whatever

Answer 6

Not in all cases, but moss prefers the moist side of trees. down-under the opposite would be true.

Answer 7

So it is true that moss does grow on the north side of trees, but it also grow on the other sides.  Typically in the northern hemisphere, because of the tilt of the earth the sun is slightly to the south.  So, the north side of trees gets less sun, which makes more favorable conditions for mosses.  There's more moisture- something that mosses enjoy.  I would assume that in the southern hemisphere, this might be reversed, and that moss would grow on the southern side of trees for the same reasons.