Growing Spanish Moss In California
How to cultivate and care for spanish moss ideal growing conditions.
Growing spanish moss in california. Spanish moss admirers can propagate from harvested seeds or plant division in humid frost free areas with temperatures of 70 degrees fahrenheit or above in full sun to partial shade. Spanish moss tillandsia usneoides is not a moss but a flowering plant that grows over trees however it doesn t leach nutrients from them it is native in north central and south america and belongs to the family of bromeliads. So certain trees such as camphor release chemical substances that kill spanish moss. They are bromeliads which are flowering plants with origins in the new world.
The biggest requirement needed as an air plant is a tree or shrub to grow from. Situate the moss so that it gets part shade. Pineapple and spanish moss are closely related plant species. It is a tillandsia an epiphytic flowering plant belonging to the bromeliad family.
Spanish moss can grow so profusely in a tree that it interferes with photosynthesis by blocking sunlight from reaching the leaves. From reading i assume this is the same spanish moss that grows on southern oak trees. Spanish moss also needs the warm humidity of a tropical or subtropical climate to thrive. Spanish moss tillandsia usneoides has the largest natural growing range of all bromeliads extending from the american southeast all the way to central argentina.
Spanish moss tree hair old man s beard kali s hair spanish beard how does spanish moss grow. Spanish moss will grow on just about any structure including another tree or shrub a fence or a building trellis arbor or patio overhang. In the u s it grows from texas to virginia staying in the moister. Spanish moss tillandsia usneoides is an epiphytic flowering plant that often grows upon larger trees in tropical and subtropical climates native to much of mexico bermuda the bahamas central america south america the southern united states west indies and is also naturalized in queensland it is known as grandpas beard in french polynesia.
Well the california oak has its own spanish moss that is totally different from the southern the california is a lichen called ramalina menziesii while the southern is actually related more to bromiliads. Because of its climate preferences spanish moss grows best in zones seven through 11. Not found in california its native range is from the american south hence all the southern gothic romantic images to south america. Spanish moss isn t from spain either it s native to mexico central america south america the u s and the caribbean.