Facts on Spanish Moss

Spanish moss, Tillandsia usneoides, is often found growing on trees in the wetlands of the southeastern United States. The plant is also known as long moss, Florida moss and graybeard.

Not a true moss, Spanish moss is an epiphytic plant. Epiphytes grow on other plants but don't feed off of them. Epiphytes make their own nutrients.

With its long-hanging tendrils covered with small, grayish leaves, Spanish moss is often associated with romanticized visions of southern swamplands. The plant was once thought to have aerial, dangling roots but in fact the plant does not have a true root system. Its scaly stem twines up tree trunks and branches, while its cupped leaves dangle, capturing moisture.

Spanish moss is a moisture-loving plant but has adapted to survive periods of drought. The plant is found in the southeastern United States, Central America and South America.

Spanish moss can be responsible for diminished fruit and nut tree yields, such as pecans, when it grows too thickly on a tree. The plant's ability to hold moisture increases a tree's exposure to ice and frost damage. Orchard growers use copper sulfate spray to control excessive Spanish moss growth.