Spanish is an Oddity of the World

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service — Galveston County Office June 24, 2020

Dr. William M. Johnson is a horticulturist with the Galveston County Office of A&M AgriLife Extension Ser- vice. Visit his website at http://aggie- horticulture.tamu.edu/ galveston.

News column printed in the Galveston Daily News, The Post, and other Galveston County Newspapers.

PHOTO CREDIT: William M. Johnson Spanish moss has been called both picturesque and spooky, but whatever you think of it, Spanish moss draping live oaks and bald cypress contributes a lot to the look of some southern landscapes. Spanish moss has been This makes it related to the very common or very called both picturesque plant that produces - rare depending on the and spooky, but whatever apples, which also is a bro- location. you think of it, Spanish meliad. moss draping live oaks and I frequently receive bald cypress contributes a Widely distributed from questions from people lot to the look of some southern to east- who are concerned that southern landscapes. ern Texas along the coastal Spanish moss is damag- strip of the southeastern ing their trees. Contrary Spanish moss ( , Spanish to what many people usneoides) is a flowering, moss occurs across coastal believe, Spanish moss is epiphytic plant belonging areas of Texas. But, oddly not a parasite and does to the bromeliad family. enough, it can be either not injure a tree by ob- Page 2 Spanish Moss is an Oddity of the Plant World taining any nourishment from it. Although Spanish moss does not the air like dandelion seeds until obtain any nourishment from a they lodge on a tree trunk or oth- As an , Spanish moss lives tree, under certain circumstances er suitable sites to grow. Strands on the tree but is independent of it. it can become a nuisance. If a and tiny pieces of moss carried by It uses the tree only for support and weak limb becomes heavily laden wind or birds to suitable locations does not invade the living tissue like with moss, it could break off. In also can grow into new . mistletoe and other parasitic plants. shade trees, the only real reason for removing the moss is if you In former times, moss had a vari- Spanish moss gets everything it don't like the way it looks – not ety of uses in upholstery. It was needs from light, rainwater and air. because of any damage it might used to stuff everything from car Like other green plants, Spanish do. cushions to horse collars, but it moss uses light in a process called was mainly used in furniture photosynthesis to create its food If removal of moss is necessary, manufacturing. Fresh moss was from carbon dioxide and water. mechanical removal is the pre- gathered and cured by wetting it Dust in the air also supplies some ferred method. There are no herbi- down and packing it in trenches needed mineral nutrients. cides labeled for controlling Span- or pits. It usually remained in the ish moss in trees. A long pole with pits for six months to eight The dominant color of Spanish a hook or a long-handled rake is months, in which time the outer moss is provided by an abundance useful to remove moss from lower covering rotted off, leaving the of gray scales that cover the . branches. Many tree companies inner strand. Spanish moss has the ability to ab- will perform mechanical removal At the moss factory it was then sorb quantities of moisture into its with a bucket truck to reach high sorted and cleaned and baled for leaves when it rains. The gray scales branches. shipment. Quite a few southern trap water underneath them when On the other hand, some people gardeners made at least a part- it rains, and the moisture is then want moss to grow in trees that time living from collecting Span- gradually absorbed by the plant. don't have any moss in them. You ish moss. The last operating fac- may gather living moss and simply tory in the South was located in Live oaks and bald cypress seem hang it from branches in the tree Gainesville, FL. That factory especially well-suited for harboring where you want it to grow. If the burned down in 1958 and did not this plant, and many of our older growing conditions are to its liking, reopen. live oaks and bald cypress have at the moss will become established least some Spanish moss in them. and grow in the tree. If not, it will Although Spanish moss is report- But Spanish moss may be seen die. There is nothing you can do if ed to be sensitive to air pollution; growing in many other tree species, that happens–except perhaps try you would think it would not as well as on dead trees, fences and again. grow in urban areas with lots of even electrical power lines. cars but you can occasionally see In nature, most new Spanish moss it growing in landscapes across Because people sometimes see plants sprout from a seed. The ti- the Galveston/Houston region. Spanish moss growing on a dead ny, greenish flowers of Spanish branch or tree, they mistakenly moss produce a seed pod that Spanish moss adds character to think the moss killed the branch or turns brown and splits open when many live oaks in local parks. the tree, which is incorrect. The mature. The seeds inside are Whether you appreciate its ap- branch or tree died for other rea- equipped with feathery parachutes pearance or wish it would go sons, and the moss is simply grow- that allow them to float through away, remember Spanish moss is ing there. harmless to the trees.