Sphagnum, a crucial peat-forming plant, is essential for sustaining the ecosystem and counteracting climate change. In recent years, attempts have been made to cultivate Sphagnum commercially to reduce the environmental impacts of harvesting the natural Sphagnum. However, research on the distribution of lipids in cultivated Sphagnum and their potential for preservation potential in the underlying soil is still limited. This study examined the distribution of n-alkyl lipids and the carbon isotope composition of n-alkanes in both natural and cultivated Sphagnum, as well as the underlying topsoil in southwestern China. Results show that the distributions of n-alkyl lipids in the cultivated Sphagnum are similar to those of the natural Sphagnum in the same region. Additionally, the δ¹³C values of mid-chain n-alkanes (C₂₃ and C₂₅) in the cultivated Sphagnum are significantly negative compared to those of long-chain homologs (C₂₉ and C₃₁; one-way ANOVA, p < 0.05), indicating that symbiotic methanotrophs are relatively active in the cultivated Sphagnum. Furthermore, the n-fatty acids and n-alkan-2-ones in the topsoil are mainly imported from Sphagnum, while the n-alkanes in the topsoil may originate from both Sphagnum and vascular plants. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the ecological benefits of Sphagnum cultivation and the contribution and fate of Sphagnum-derived carbon in soil profiles.