plant · GBIF taxon 2695149
Spanish Moss
Tillandsia usneoidesAlso known as Old Man's Beard, Grandpa's Beard, Greybeard
Spanish moss drapes elegantly from the branches of southern oaks and bald cypress trees, absorbing water and nutrients directly from the air and rain through specialized silver-grey scales called trichomes. Lacking true roots, this epiphytic bromeliad uses its curly, threadlike stems to anchor itself without parasitizing its host tree. Tiny, inconspicuous pale green flowers bloom in the summer, releasing a subtle fragrance at night to attract insect pollinators.
EpiphyteAir PlantSubtropical
- diet
- Water and nutrients absorbed from air, dust, and rain
- family
- Bromeliaceae
- threats
- Habitat destruction, air pollution, and severe freezes
- life Span
- Perennial (individual strands live for years, propagating vegetatively)
LC
Safe to observe; avoid handling fallen strands which may harbor biting chiggers.
- Look up: Scan the lower and mid-canopy of mature live oaks and bald cypresses in humid areas.
- Avoid ground contact: Do not collect or handle moss that has fallen to the forest floor, as it often harbors chiggers.
- Check for wildlife: Look closely for nesting songbirds, bats, and insects that use the dense strands for shelter.