Tillandsia usneoides
(L.) L.
Bromeliaceae
Dendropogon usneoides (L.) Raf.
Renealmia usneoides L.
Strepsia usneoides (L.) Nutt. ex Steud.
Tillandsia crinita Willd. ex Beer
Tillandsia filiformis Lodd. ex Schult. & Schult.f.
Tillandsia trichoides Kunth
Common Name: Spanish Moss
Plant growing on a shrub.
Photograph by: Kalathalan
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Plant growing on a shrub.
Photograph by: Kalathalan
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Plant growing down from the branch of a tree
Photograph by: Gh5046
Public domain
Tillandsia (and other epiphytes) growing on power lines
Photograph by: Fev
Public domain
Line drawing, showing the flower
Photograph by: Not known
Public domain
General Information
Spanish moss is a pendant, epiphytic, evergreen shrub hanging down from the branches of trees etc and growing around 6 metres long. The leaves are covered in absorbent silver-grey or white scales[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
The plant is often grown as an ornamental plant in tropical areas. It is also commonly harvested from the wild for its use as a packing material[
302- Title
- Tropical Ornamentals; A Guide
- Publication
-
- Author
- Whistler. W. Arthur.
- Publisher
- Timber Press Inc. Oregon.
- Year
- 2000
- ISBN
- 0-88192-448-2
- Description
- An excellent little guide to some of the more commonly cultivated ornamental plants of the Tropics, often giving some information on the plants other uses.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Range
Southern S. America from Argentina, north through Central America to the Caribbean and Florida.
Habitat
An epiphyte, growing down from the crooks of tree branches[
302- Title
- Tropical Ornamentals; A Guide
- Publication
-
- Author
- Whistler. W. Arthur.
- Publisher
- Timber Press Inc. Oregon.
- Year
- 2000
- ISBN
- 0-88192-448-2
- Description
- An excellent little guide to some of the more commonly cultivated ornamental plants of the Tropics, often giving some information on the plants other uses.
].
Properties
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Shrub |
| Height | 6.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Prefers a moist, partially shaded position[
302- Title
- Tropical Ornamentals; A Guide
- Publication
-
- Author
- Whistler. W. Arthur.
- Publisher
- Timber Press Inc. Oregon.
- Year
- 2000
- ISBN
- 0-88192-448-2
- Description
- An excellent little guide to some of the more commonly cultivated ornamental plants of the Tropics, often giving some information on the plants other uses.
]. The plant has a very sparse root system, mainly used for anchoring itself to the branches of trees. The plant absorbs most of its moisture and nutrients from the humid air of its environment, through the absorbent scale-coating of its leaves[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
The entire plant is often harvested from the wild and used as a packing material[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
302- Title
- Tropical Ornamentals; A Guide
- Publication
-
- Author
- Whistler. W. Arthur.
- Publisher
- Timber Press Inc. Oregon.
- Year
- 2000
- ISBN
- 0-88192-448-2
- Description
- An excellent little guide to some of the more commonly cultivated ornamental plants of the Tropics, often giving some information on the plants other uses.
]. The cured stems are used as a stuffing in the cushions, arms etc of furniture[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
302- Title
- Tropical Ornamentals; A Guide
- Publication
-
- Author
- Whistler. W. Arthur.
- Publisher
- Timber Press Inc. Oregon.
- Year
- 2000
- ISBN
- 0-88192-448-2
- Description
- An excellent little guide to some of the more commonly cultivated ornamental plants of the Tropics, often giving some information on the plants other uses.
].
In order to strengthen and make the hair more attractive, the plant is steeped in a pot of water until decomposed, and then used as a hair wash to impart a glossy shine[
348- Title
- Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
- Publication
-
- Author
- DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
- Website
- http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Museum
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
].
Propagation
Seed -
Division
Offsets
Simply breaking the stems and replanting them works[
302- Title
- Tropical Ornamentals; A Guide
- Publication
-
- Author
- Whistler. W. Arthur.
- Publisher
- Timber Press Inc. Oregon.
- Year
- 2000
- ISBN
- 0-88192-448-2
- Description
- An excellent little guide to some of the more commonly cultivated ornamental plants of the Tropics, often giving some information on the plants other uses.
].
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
