Looking to gather moss in Stardew Valley? This elusive green resource grows naturally on the trunks of Oak, Pine, and Maple trees throughout Spring, Summer, and Fall-except in Winter-and is key to crafting a variety of new items introduced in the 1.6 update. Your best bet for a moss haul is to explore Cindersap Forest or your own farm’s mature trees, especially during the rare and mysterious Green Rain event when moss blankets nearly every tree and special weeds drop extra moss. Whether you’re on PC, mobile, or console, knowing where and how to harvest moss will unlock fresh crafting possibilities and boost your foraging XP in Stardew Valley.
Below we explain where to find moss in Stardew Valley and what crafting recipes you can use it in.
Where to find moss in Stardew Valley
Moss in Stardew Valley can be found growing on the trunks of fully grown Oak, Pine, and Maple trees during Spring, Summer, and Fall, but not in Winter or on Fruit, Mushroom, Mystic, or Mahogany trees. It appears as a greenish texture on the tree bark and can be harvested using an axe, scythe, or melee weapon without cutting down the tree. The best places to find moss are in Cindersap Forest, around your farm, and in other tree-filled areas of the Valley. A special weather event called Green Rain, which occurs randomly in Summer, greatly increases the amount of moss on trees and nearby weeds, making it the ideal time to gather large quantities of moss.
Some of the trees you hack down will have moss growing on them. While committing mass deforestation around the valley, we found a few moss in spring, but not a massive amount. The moss can be cut off the tree using a sword or scythe, without necessarily cutting down the tree, too.
The mossy trees have, well, green moss all over their trunks, like this:
You can also collect a ton of moss during the green rain weather condition that occurs during the summer.
What’s ’green rain’ in Stardew Valley?
Green Rain in Stardew Valley is a rare, one-day weather event that occurs only during the summer season. When it happens, the entire valley takes on a green tint, and the rain brings a unique opportunity to gather items like moss, fiber, and mixed seeds. During this event, special bushes and two new types of trees appear: one drops mossy seeds and wood, while the other yields fiddlehead ferns. Moss becomes abundant on many trees, making it the perfect time to collect it for crafting and cooking. Additionally, many villagers take shelter in the Stardrop Saloon during the green rain, creating a unique social atmosphere. This event is unpredictable but can be anticipated by checking the weather report on the TV the day before, which gives a cryptic warning about the upcoming green rain.
Green rain is a special weather condition that only occurs once per summer on a random date. Just like regular rain, it’ll water your crops and your farm animals will stay inside their homes. However, it does yield some very peculiar and special effects:
- Green rain may cause tree saplings to become fully grown.
- Wild trees and weeds appear all over your farm and the valley. The wild trees will turn into regular trees the next day and the weeds will disappear.
- These trees and weeds will yield moss.
- Fiddlehead trees will spawn and these trees will yield Mossy Seeds and Fiddlehead Ferns.
- A bunch of the villagers will hole up for safety in the Saloon. (Despite this, the rain is not dangerous.)
To farm the most moss possible (as you’ll need a lot for a specific endgame item), you should take your scythe go buckwild against all the weeds and trees. Since the mossy weeds will disappear the next day, you’ll want to grab as much as you can while you can.
Notably, you should also cut down the peculiar curly-looking trees to net a Mossy Seed. These can be replanted and these weird trees will regrow, as seen above. When cut down, they’ll yield Fiddlehead Ferns, regardless of the season. Since usually Fiddlehead Ferns are limited to foraging in the summer, this is a great way to keep them year round.
Moss crafting recipes in Stardew Valley
Moss in Stardew Valley is a versatile crafting material obtained by hitting moss-covered trees with an axe, primarily found in Spring, Summer, and Fall on Oak, Pine, and Maple trees. It is used in several important crafting recipes introduced in Update 1.6, including Speed-Gro fertilizer to accelerate crop growth, Mushroom Logs for growing mushrooms, Deluxe Worm Bins and baits to enhance fishing, and the Statue of Blessings that grants daily random buffs. Additionally, Moss can be cooked into Moss Soup to restore energy and health. The Green Rain event is the best time to gather large amounts of Moss, as it causes widespread moss growth on trees and weeds throughout the valley.
Moss sells for five gold each, so it’s not really worth selling unless you have lots of surplus.
There are a couple of crafting recipes that require moss:
- Speed-Gro fertilizer (farming level 3): 1 Pine Tar, 5 Moss
- Mushroom Log (foraging level 4): 10 Hardwood, 10 Moss
- Deluxe Bait (fishing level 4): 5 Bait, 2 Moss
- Deluxe Worm Bin (fishing level 8): 1 Worm Bin, 30 Moss
- Statue of Blessings (farming Mastery): 999 Stone, 999 Fiber, 999 Sap, 333 Moss
You can also use it to make Moss Soup, if you have a kitchen. This recipe uses 20 moss.
How can I maximize moss collection across different platforms in Stardew Valley
To maximize moss collection across all platforms in Stardew Valley (PC, Mobile, Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox), focus primarily on the following strategies:
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Harvest Moss from Mature Trees: Moss naturally grows on the trunks of Oak, Pine, and Maple trees during Spring, Summer, and Fall. Use any tool, especially an axe, to collect 1 to 2 pieces of moss per tree without cutting the tree down. Preserve mature trees on your farm and in Cindersap Forest, as older trees start with a higher growth stage and produce moss faster.
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Exploit the Green Rain Event: This rare weather event occurs once per year and dramatically increases moss growth on trees and weeds. During Green Rain, moss covers most mossy trees, and special weeds spawn with a chance to drop moss (including large weeds dropping 2-3 moss). Use a sickle to efficiently harvest moss from weeds and trees without expending energy. This event is the best opportunity to gather large quantities of moss quickly.
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Regularly Check Moss Growth: Moss regrows on trees over time, though growth slows on sunny summer days. Checking back on dense tree areas frequently will yield more moss. Avoid using vinegar on trees you want moss from, as it prevents moss growth.
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Use Efficient Tools: Use an axe or scythe to harvest moss quickly. On tapped trees, an axe removes both tapper and moss in one hit, saving time.
By combining these methods-maintaining mature trees, capitalizing on the once-a-year Green Rain event, and harvesting efficiently-you can maximize moss collection regardless of your platform in Stardew Valley.
How can I increase moss yield during the Green Rain event in Stardew Valley
To increase moss yield during the Green Rain event in Stardew Valley, follow these expert tips:
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Focus on Moss-Covered Green Rain Trees: During the event, nearly all mossy trees become covered in moss, and two special types of Green Rain Trees grow moss faster. Planting fully grown Green Rain Trees near common trees (within a 5×5 area) accelerates moss growth on those common trees by giving them a 50% chance to gain an extra moss growth stage daily.
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Harvest Moss from Trees and Weeds: Use a scythe or axe to efficiently collect moss from trees and the abundant Green Rain weeds. Large weeds spawned during the event can drop 2-3 pieces of moss each, increasing your haul significantly.
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Collect Mossy Seeds: Chop down Green Rain Trees to obtain Mossy Seeds, which can be planted on your farm to grow more Green Rain Trees. These trees help speed up moss growth on nearby trees, allowing for sustained moss production beyond the event day.
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Prepare by Clearing Inventory and Tools: Since the Green Rain event lasts only one day and yields a large amount of moss and related resources, clear your inventory beforehand and equip efficient tools like a scythe or axe to maximize harvesting speed.
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Check Weather Reports: The day before Green Rain, the TV weather report hints at “anomalous readings.” Use this to prepare and plan your day entirely around moss and resource gathering.
By combining harvesting from mossy trees and weeds, planting and leveraging Green Rain Trees, and preparing ahead, you can significantly boost your moss yield during this rare and valuable event.
