[jblum315]

Does anybody know why Spanish moss clings only to live oak trees and apparently to no other trees? It can't be just that it looks pretty.

[Pookirgirl]

weird..this has been posted for almost 12 hours and no one knows the answer?????? hard to believe. I thought the people on TOTV would know this one!!!

[JenAjd]

I went to that old source better known as Wikipedia and copied/pasted part of the post from there and here's what it said.....

"Spanish moss is an epiphyte which absorbs fagss (especially calcium) and water from the air and rainfall. Spanish moss is colloquially known as "air plant".

While it rarely kills the trees it lowers their growth rate by reducing the amount of light to a tree's own leaves. It also increases wind resistance, which can prove fatal to the host tree in a hurricane.

In the southern U.S., the plant seems to show a preference of growth on Southern Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) or Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) because of these trees' high rates of foliar mineral leaching (calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus) providing an abundant supply of nutrients to the plant,[4] but it can also colonize other tree species such as Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), crape-myrtles (Lagerstroemia spp.), other oaks, and even pines.

Spanish moss shelters a number of creatures, including rat snakes and three species of bats. One species of jumping spider, Pelegrina tillandsiae, has been found only on Spanish moss."

I did NOT know about the critters that can live in it! Euuuuwwww! We have an oak the developer planted in our front yard! But by the time it's large and stately, we'll no longer care as we won't be on this earth!

[jblum315]

Thanks! Good answer. Not happy about the snakes and spiders.

[graciegirl]

Now let me get this straight.

It is an epiphyte that absorbs fagss?

That doesn't sound politically correct.


I just read the article in Wikipedia and that is exactly what it says and in another part it said it is an angiosperm.

Curiouser and curiouser.

I have heard it called a parasite.

[K9-Lovers]

That moss also lives on the magnolia tree and other bushes in my yard. So, it is not limited to the live oaks.

An epiphyte that absorbs fagss . . . that's as clear as mud!

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by K9-Lovers

That moss also lives on the magnolia tree and other bushes in my yard. So, it is not limited to the live oaks.

An epiphyte that absorbs fagss . . . that's as clear as mud!

It says that in Wikipedia in the Spanish Moss article. We BOTH read it there.

I don't understand it either and I kinda like to read scientific stuff.

[chuckster]

Guess it is neither spanish nor moss.......just an air plant.

[Pturner]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Now let me get this straight.

It is an epiphyte that absorbs fagss?

That doesn't sound politically correct.

[mrdills]

I know one thing about Spanish Moss, a word to the wize, you don't want to use it indoors, its full of very small bugs.

[Ohiogirl]

I love to ride the golf cart path near Buena Vista and Stillwater and Old Mill Run - all those gorgeous live oaks with Spanish Moss. On 2 different days saw workers with (very) long poles taking down and hauling away some of the Spanish Moss. That seems to support the Wiki report that too much of it is a bad thing.

We have a live oak (builder planted) in the backyard of our CYV, at a perfect spot to block late afternoon sun into our lanai. Seems like about 1/3 of the builder planted oak trees here have really taken off, including ours. Others now look about half as big, and these were all planted at the same time and were about the same size.

We just finished digging (ourselves) a serpentine border all around our fences/wall and found a really extensive root system in just 4-1/2 years. We know we damaged some of it, but tried to avoid cutting thru too many roots. It's now a haven for songbirds as well - so far we've seen bluebirds (on the fence, not in the tree), mockingbirds, mourning doves, cardinals, house finches, goldfinches, grackles, wrens and possible a pine or palm warbler, not sure.

Also saw a hawk or kestrel - happened so fast I couldn't be sure - swoop down and fly off with a mourning dove, feathers flying everywhere. I had a hummingbird feeder up for a while last fall but never saw any. Anyone see them here? If so, what part of TV?

[rubicon]

I know one litttle diddy about spanish moss. During the civil war the doctors used mos to suture up wounds Wow bet your all impressed

[jblum315]

Did not know that. Wonder if it had little bugs in it?

[Carla B]

I saw Spanish Moss hanging from pine trees on the old road between Tavares and Mount Dora. Was so impressed I made my husband go that way.

Ohio Girl, haven't seen any hummingbirds either. We also had a hawk who captured a dove and enjoyed the feast on the table on our outside patio.

[billethkid]

run it for a few seconds in the microwave. Kills all the bugs and retains it's decorative appearance.

btk