Spanish Moss

Authors of Subpage

James Cummings and Chad Kinzly

Introduction

If you have spent any time in the greener parts of the South, you have probably ducked under a long hanging vine tickling the back of your neck. This was most likely Spanish moss, an ominous looking plant which is surprisingly harmless. Spanish moss is a long stringy flowering plant normally seen hanging off trees in the Americas, usually in humid climates.

Spanish moss has gone by many names, Florida moss, long moss, and graybeard to name a few. Spanish moss has deep connections to Southeastern folk lore and culture. The name graybeard for instance comes from an old children’s tale told in the South called “The meanest man who ever lived”. One version of this tale follows a cruel old man who is despised by all around but would get his beard hair caught in trees and bushes as he walked about the land. When he died the beard kept growing and the people used it for many useful things like rope and bedding. But they never forgot the old man’s cruelty because little critters would come out of his beard hairs and bite them now and again.

Though names aren’t always accurate. Spanish moss is not a moss at all but an epiphyte, sometimes called air plant. Epiphytes are plants that grow on an object strictly for physical support and are non-parasitic to the underlying tree or branch.

Submitted by user Gh5046 to en.wikipedia.

Submitted by user Pollinator to en.wikipedia.

Photographed by Tina Nguyen at University of North Carolina Wilmington

Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Plantae

Clade: Angiosperms

Clade: Monocots

Clade: Commenlinids

Order: Poales

Family: Bromeliaceae

Genus: Tillandsia

Subgenus: Tillandsia Diaphoranthema

Species: Tillandsia usneoides

Niche and Habitat

Spanish moss can grow anywhere it has access to enough resources, but it is most commonly seen on the branches of trees. From here the plant has plenty of room to spread out giving it more surface area and access to water and nutrients in its immediate vicinity. While it looks like it may be outgrowing the trees it inhabits and killing it, in reality a healthy tree will grow faster than Spanish moss so it will not impede leaf growth. If a tree seems to be dying with Spanish moss on it, it is most likely from other causes. Spanish moss also provides shelter for many species of insects in the area it is found.

Spanish moss flourishes primarily in humid climates, which allows it to gather more water. In the United States it is primarily found in the southeast. However, it can be found through South America as well as Bermuda, The Bahamas, and the West Indies

Evolutionary History

Sharing the same Genus, the Spanish moss is closely related to the Pineapple. Evolution split the two plants apart between 500-450 MYA. Where Pineapples draw water and nutrients from the soil, Spanish moss has evolved and adapted to absorb moisture and nutrients from the air.

Due to not having access to groundwater, the entirety of Spanish moss is covered in very small scales which trap moisture from the air. This is a reason you will only find Spanish moss in more humidity. These scales have adapted to hold more water than is currently necessary for the plant to ensure that during dryer periods the plant will have a source of water.

Located high up on trees, the Spanish moss takes its seed to the wind. Similar to dandelion seeds, they have light, hair like appendages which allow the seeds to be carried to another suitable host.

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Environmental Impacts

Spanish moss is not known to have immediate negative environmental impacts. As stated under niche and habitat, the symbiotic relationship of Spanish moss on trees, bushes, and even telephone poles will not be a threat for the host. Dr. John Taggart, an Associate Professor Emeritus of Environmental Sciences at the University of North Carolina - Wilmington, clarified that locations on trees which appear to not grow leaves due to the Spanish moss presence is merely a physical constraint (lack of sunlight) and not parasitic.

Spanish moss is a strong influence to a well diversified ecological area. Hosting a number of insects, spiders, bats, and even birds, Spanish moss provides security out of reach from many smaller animals predators.

Conservation

The Spanish moss is currently not under any concerning protection status in the United States. With its ability to capture water from the humidity as well as the seed distribution method of wind travel, the Spanish moss is a robust life form capable of finding suitable environments to thrive. Where most plant life would be devastated by construction projects, Spanish moss simply finds a new home on the telephone poles that replaced trees.

Friends or Foes?

Spanish moss coexists with many trees and not necessarily dependent on those either, they are know for making many homes on top of telephone poles. With the ability to produce their own food, their best friend is height to receive plenty of sun shine.

The major foe is air pollution. Due to the locations of Spanish moss being far reaching and diversified, scientists have experimented testing Spanish moss as an indicator for air quality. By understanding the levels at which Spanish moss can tolerate pollutants in our air, we can create a "canary in the mines" approach to the air we breathe.

Videos for Spanish moss

Web Resources for Audience to Explore

https://www.britannica.com/plant/epiphyte - online encyclopedia on epiphytes

https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/natural-resources/sustainability-spanish-moss/ - a website by the University of Florida giving useful information on some of the native Floridian plants and animals.

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/spanish-moss-come-from-75975.html - a home gardening website

https://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/cs_tius.pdf - United States Department of Agriculture plant guide

http://www.plantoftheweek.org/week056.shtml - University of Oklahoma's plant of the week feature on Spanish moss

References

Petruzzello, M. (2017, April 26). Epiphyte. Retrieved from

https://www.britannica.com/plant/epiphyte

IFAS. (n.d.). Spanish Moss. Retrieved from

https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/natural-resources/sustainability-spanish-moss/

Blackstone, V. L. (2017, November 21). Where Does Spanish Moss Come From? Retrieved from

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/spanish-moss-come-from-75975.html

(n.d.). Retrieved from

https://web.archive.org/web/20070305210827/http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/4h/Spanish_moss/spanmoss.htm

Spanish moss. (2019, April 20). Retrieved from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_moss

Spanish Moss Is Related to Pineapples. (2017, December 18).

Retrieved from http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/suwanneeco/2017/12/18/spanish-moss-is-related-to-pineapples/

Tillandsia usneoides: An Indicator to Air Pollution | AMNH. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.amnh.org/learn-teach/curriculum-collections/young-naturalist-awards/winning-essays2/2006-winning-essays/tillandsia-usneoides-an-indicator-to-air-pollution

Friedman, A., & Johnson, M. (n.d.). The Meanest Man Who Ever Lived (An American Folktale), Tell Me a Story. Retrieved from https://www.uexpress.com/tell-me-a-story/2017/5/28/the-meanest-man-who-ever-lived

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