Spanish moss
Not a moss at all but a flowering air plant that drapes in gray strands from the branches of trees at Congaree and the Everglades.
Spanish moss at a glance
Tillandsia usneoides SPAN-ish moss; Tillandsia usneoides is til-AND-see-uh us-nee-OY-deez
- Type
- Plant · epiphyte
- Diet
- Producer
- Size
- A single strand can hang down about 20 feet, longer than a canoe, but it is thin as thread and light. A big clump weighs very little, which is how it can drape from the smallest branches.
- Lifespan
- Single strands live a few years, but a plant keeps growing and breaking into new pieces, so a clump on a tree can keep going for a long time.
- Conservation
- Least Concern
Eats sunlight, rainwater, water vapor, dust and minerals from the air
Spanish moss makes its own food by photosynthesis, so it does not need to root in soil. It is an epiphyte, which means it only perches on a tree for a place to hang. It soaks up water and bits of mineral from the rain and damp air through tiny scales on its strands. It does not steal food from the tree, so it is not a parasite.
Is it safe to touch?
Spanish moss is a harmless plant. It will not sting, poke, or poison you. The old worry that it is full of chiggers is mostly a myth, and one study found none, but wild strands can hold tiny bugs, so it is smart not to stuff a handful in your pockets or clothes. Look up and enjoy it hanging from the trees.
Spanish moss is not a moss, and it is not Spanish. It is a flowering plant, a close relative of the pineapple, that hangs in soft gray strands from the branches of trees across the warm, damp Southeast, including at Congaree and the Everglades. A single strand can trail down about 20 feet, longer than a canoe, but it is thin as thread and weighs almost nothing, which is how it can drape from the smallest branches without pulling them down.
The plant lives without ever touching the ground. It makes its own food by photosynthesis, so it does not need roots in soil. Instead it is an epiphyte: it only perches on a tree for a place to hang. Tiny scales cover its strands and soak up water and specks of mineral straight from the rain and the damp air. Because it feeds itself and takes nothing from its host, Spanish moss does not harm the tree it hangs on. It is not a parasite. The tree stays healthy underneath, and the moss just borrows a branch.
For a long time people put Spanish moss to work. Dried, its tough inner strands act like springy fibers, and it was once used to stuff mattresses, chair cushions, and even the seats of early cars. The plant is common across its range and listed by the IUCN as Least Concern. It is harmless to touch, though the old story that every strand is crawling with chiggers is mostly a myth. One study found none at all. Wild strands can still hold tiny bugs, so the smart move is to look up and enjoy it rather than stuff a handful in your pockets.
Did you know?
- Spanish moss is not a moss and it is not Spanish. It is a flowering plant related to the pineapple, and it grows wild across the warm, damp Southeast.
- It does not hurt the tree it hangs on. Spanish moss only uses a branch as a place to perch. It makes its own food and drinks from rain and moist air, so the tree stays healthy underneath.
- Long ago people used dried Spanish moss to stuff mattresses, chair cushions, and even the seats of early cars, because the tough inner strands work like springy fibers.
Common questions
Is Spanish moss really a moss?
No. It is a flowering plant related to the pineapple. It just hangs in soft gray strands that look mossy, which fooled people into naming it that.
Does Spanish moss hurt the tree it hangs on?
No. It only perches on the branch for a spot to hang. It makes its own food and drinks from rain and damp air, so it is not a parasite.
Does Spanish moss have bugs or chiggers in it?
Mostly that is a myth, and one study found no chiggers at all. Still, wild strands can hold tiny bugs, so it is best to look and not stuff it in your clothes.
How does Spanish moss get water without roots in the ground?
Through tiny scales all over its strands. They soak up rain and moisture right out of the air, so the plant never needs to touch soil.