In Japanese, the word koke means moss. Here at Koke Co, we love moss. And plants. And pretty interiors. Have a look around our site and discover new ways to surround yourself with all three.

In our shop, you’ll find wonderful juxtapositions of modern design and nature. You’ll find kokedama (Japanese moss ensconced bonsai) strung from contemporary hangers, kits to make your own kokedama, as well as vintage housewares. Our stock is constantly expanding and evolving.

Kokeco wares are collected, created and designed by Devon Genser. She has been honing her kokedama skills for years, refining soil combinations, materials and techniques. She is constantly imagining new ways to display nature in the home environment.

Kokedama is a relatively contemporary form of bonsai and literally means “moss ball”. The history of kokedama is a bit obscured, but is said to be an offshoot of the Nearai method popular in Japan’s Edo period. In the Nearai style, the bonsai is grown so fully and tightly in a pot that the root and soil maintain its shape when taken out of the pot. Essentially the bonsai was grown in a pot until it became so root bound that the soil and roots would stay in place when removed from the pot. The plant would then be placed on a stand, without a pot, to be enjoyed.

Kokedama takes the planterless bonsai method a step further and covers the root base with moss. No need to wait for the roots to bind. Here at Kokeco, we've taken our own liberties with the method, using unexpected materials such as metal and jewelry grade findings to create hangers and mobile like structures to suspend our kokedama from.

Kokedama are easy to care for, requiring water only once ever 1-3 weeks depending on plant variety.

Your kokedama may be suspended in the air or placed in a dish. If placed in a dish, it is ideal but not necessary to place a few stones or other objects between your kokedama and the dish to encourage airflow.

We generally select hardy, low maintenance plant varieties to create kokedama. Water your kokedama when the plant base becomes dry and light. Usually just once every 1-3 weeks depending on the variety. Tropicals generally appreciate watering once a week. Bromeliads and other epiphytes appreciate a bit of drying out between watering and can generally go 2-3 weeks without watering. (They do like a little misting in between waterings if you remember.)

Succulents and cacti can go a few weeks without watering and up to a month in the winter time. These guys are tough and do best with a bit of neglect.

To water your kokedama, you can hold the root base under your tap until saturated or simply fill a basin with water and leave your kokedama to soak for 10 minutes. You can hasten this process by holding the base of your kokedama under the water until the bubbles rising to the surface slow dramatically.

Gently squeeze your kokedama root base to get rid of excess water and lightly reshape after watering.

Let your kokedama drip dry then re-hang or place back in its dish. You can place your kokedama on a towel or hang until it no longer drips.

All kokedama appreciate bright, indirect light.

Like any houseplant it generally depends on care. Thankfully we generally choose hardy plant varieties that can withstand a bit of neglect. We have been making kokedama for years and still have plants alive and kicking from our first batch.