Please, Leave our
Spanish Moss Alone
Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usneoides) is an air plant that
coexists with trees, lodging in their canopy. The moss
is not a parasite. It does not put down roots in the tree
nor does it take nutrients from the tree. It gets all it
needs from the sun, the rain, and the wind. There is no
reason to remove the moss from trees. It is very lightweight,
even if wet, and does not contribute to branch
breakage. Its presence on a dead or dying tree cannot
implicate it in the cause for decline. The moss will not
interfere with a healthy tree’s chlorophyll production.
Spanish Moss is harmless and very important to
many creatures. It is, in effect, an ecosystem for the
many insects and birds that use it. Even frogs will hide
in the moss. If it falls on the ground, put it back or start
a Spanish Moss pile. Some people use fallen moss as
mulch. Do try to avoid handling it directly as Chiggers
may be present.
PHOTO: Amanda, CCBY2.0
Clockwise from top: Spanish Moss hangs from canopy trees like the Oaks, Magnolias, and Cypress trees and is a beloved symbol of the south; Female Northern
Parula Warbler, Parula americana. In Florida, Spanish moss is critically important to the Northern Parula Warbler, which gleans insects and spiders from the
moss and weaves its nest in the moss, high up in the tree canopy, in the spring; Black-winged Dahana moth, Dahana atripennis, found only in Florida and Georgia.
Its caterpillar host plant is Spanish Moss. Caterpillars are a critical food source for the many resident and migratory birds that forage for food, particularly
baby food, in the moss; White-eyed Vireo, Vireo griseus, foraging for insects and spiders in Spanish Moss. All photos below by Mary Keim.
22 | GUIDE FOR REAL FLORIDA GARDENERS 2019-2020 FANN/Florida Association of Native Nurseries
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