What Is the Moss Hanging From Trees in the South?

Visitors to the South may be puzzled by the tangled, mossy-looking masses hanging from many trees. But this thick gray or green plant, commonly called Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides), is a natural part of the area's ecology and an important habitat for many species, including birds and reptiles.

Despite its name, Spanish moss is not a true moss, but an epiphytic bromeliad that hangs from trees in dense curtains that can reach lengths of 20 feet or more. Most of the time, the plant looks gray, but when it gets enough moisture, its leaves turn light green. Cup-like scales cover the leaves and capture water and nutrient-bearing dust particles from the air. This water-trapping ability makes it possible for Spanish moss to thrive during droughts. Although inconspicuous, the plant's pale green or blue flowers are mildly fragrant at night.

Spanish moss inhabits a number of tree species from Florida to Texas and thrives in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 11, wrapping around its hosts without rooting. Most often, it appears on oak and cypress species such as the Southern live oak (Quercus virginiana) and the Italian cypress (Cupressus sempervirens), both hardy in USDA zones 7 through 10, but it makes its home in other types of trees as well and may even hang out on telephone lines and fences if the location provides sufficient moisture and full sunlight to partial shade.

Contrary to what you may have heard, Spanish moss is not a parasite and doesn't leach nutrients or water from trees, but it may cause trees to decline by preventing adequate sunlight from reaching their leaves. It makes its own food and only uses trees as a means of support and protection, although sometimes the weight of the plant may cause a tree branch to break, especially after a heavy rain. You may also have heard that red bugs or chiggers, which are notorious for causing itchy rashes, reside in Spanish moss, but expert opinions differ on this point. According to entomology professor Nancy Hinkle, who was interviewed for an article published by the University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences in 2012, chiggers don't actually live in Spanish moss, but "in the undergrowth surrounding the trees that support the moss." Nevertheless, if you have any concerns about the Spanish moss in your trees, you can hire an arborist to remove it but be aware that it will probably grow back.

The ecological role of Spanish moss is an important one. For example, reptiles, bats, spiders and other animals use the plant for protection and the rich supply of insects that are found within its reaches. It's a component of the nests of birds as well, including many species of songbirds. In the yard, Spanish moss may be used as a garden mulch and as a privacy screen when draped over fencing. It's also used to adorn floral arrangements, potted plants and craft projects.