Spanish-Moss – Tillandsia usneoides

Common Name: Spanish-Moss

Botanical Name: Tillandsia usneoides, ti-LAND-zee-a us-nee-OI-deez

Decorative Life: Years.

Flower Color: Green

Availability: Year Round

• Member of the Bromeliaceae (pineapple family).
• Native to Southeastern US to Chile and Argentina.
• Family relatives include Billbergia, Cryptanthus, Aechmea, Guzmania, pineapple and Puya.

• Silvery-gray threadlike masses to 25 ft. long, classed as a monocotyledon.
• Densely covered by gray scales, which are a means of receiving and holding atmospheric moisture making roots unnecessary.
• Very small axial flowers with petals 3/8 in. (1 cm) long, in changing colors yellowish-green to blue, the plant is an epiphytic perennial.
• Flowers are not fragrant.

Almost any.

• The genus name, Tillandsia, derives from the name of a Swedish scientist, Elias Tillands, a professor of medicine at the University of Abo, who catalogued the plants around that town in 1673.
• Native Americans called the plant “tree hair”, which name the French explorers turned to “Barbe espagnole” — “Spanish Beard” — to insult their bitter rivals in the New World. The Spanish retorted with “Cabello franc”s” (“French hair”). “Spanish Moss”, a milder variation of the French taunt, has survived. Another common name is “Graybeard”.
• According to legend, a Spaniard was in love with an Indian chief’s daughter. The chief did not approve and had the Spaniard strung up in a tree until he renounced his love. The Spaniard refused, died in the tree, but his beard continued to grow from the tree’s branches as a sign of his undying love.
• Most commonly seen naturally growing on tree branches.

Bessler et al. (1998) showed that light stimulate ethylene production for this species.