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{{SPlantbox
| latin_name = ''LATINNAME'' <!--- replace LATINNAME with the actual latin name -->
|familia=Bromeliaceae
| common_names = <!--- if multiple, list all, if none, leave blank -->
|genus=Tillandsia
| growth_habit = ? <!--- tree, shrub, herbaceous, vine, etc -->
|species=recurvata
| high = ? <!--- 1m (3 ft) -->
|common_name=Ball moss
| wide = <!--- 65cm (25 inches) -->
|name_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
| origin = ? <!--- Mexico, S America, S Europe, garden, etc -->
|habit=bromeliad
| poisonous = <!--- indicate parts of plants which are known/thought to be poisonous -->
|habit_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
| lifespan = <!--- perennial, annual, etc -->
|Max ht box=4
| exposure = ? <!--- full sun, part-sun, semi-shade, shade, indoors, bright filtered (you may list more than 1) -->
|Max ht metric=in
| water = ? <!--- frequent, regular, moderate, drought tolerant, let dry then soak -->
|height_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
| features = <!--- flowers, fragrance, fruit, naturalizes, invasive -->
|Min wd box=2.5
| hardiness = <!--- frost sensitive, hardy, 5°C (40°F), etc -->
|Min wd metric=in
| bloom = <!--- seasons which the plant blooms, if it is grown for its flowers -->
|Max wd box=8
| usda_zones = ? <!--- eg. 8-11 -->
|Max wd metric=in
| sunset_zones = <!--- eg. 8, 9, 12-24, not available -->
|width_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
| color = IndianRed
|lifespan=perennial
| image = Upload.png <!--- Freesia.jpg -->
|exposure=part-sun
| image_width = 240px <!--- leave as 240px if horizontal orientation photo, or change to 180px if vertical -->
|sun_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
| image_caption = <!--- eg. Cultivated freesias -->
|features=flowers, houseplant
| regnum = Plantae <!--- Kingdom -->
|flower_season=early summer, mid summer, late summer
| divisio = <!--- Phylum -->
|flower_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
| classis = <!--- Class -->
|flowers=blue, purple
| ordo = <!--- Order -->
|Temp Metric=°F
| familia = <!--- Family -->
|min_zone=11
| genus =
|usda_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
| species =
|max_zone=12
| subspecies =
|image=Tillandsia recurvata.jpg
| cultivar =
|image_width=180
}}
}}
'''''Tillandsia recurvata''''', commonly known as '''Ball Moss''', is a [[flowering plant]] (not a true [[moss]]) that grows upon larger host plants. It grows well in areas with low light, little airflow, and high humidity, which is commonly provided by southern shade trees, often the Southern Live Oak (''[[Quercus virginiana]]'').<ref name = crow>{{cite video
| last = Crow
| first = William T
| date = 2000
| title = Ball Moss
| publisher = The Texas Agricultural Extension Service. L-5353
| accessdate = 4 May 2008
| url = http://agrilifebookstore.org/tmppdfs/viewpdf_1206.pdf}}</ref> It is not a [[Parasitic plant|parasite]] like [[mistletoe]], but an [[epiphyte]] like its relative [[Spanish moss]]. It derives only physical support and not nutrition from its host, [[photosynthesis|photosynthesizing]] its own food, receiving water vapor from the air,<ref name = crow /> and obtaining [[nitrogen]] from bacteria.<ref>{{cite journal
| author = Puente, Maria-Esther and Bashan, Yoav
| year = 1994
| title = The desert epiphyte Tillandsia recurvata harbours the nitrogen-fixing bacterium Pseudomonas stutzeri
| journal = Canadian Journal of Botany
| volume = 72
| number = 3
| month = March
| pages = 406–8}}</ref> Although Ball Moss can hinder tree growth by competing for sunlight and some nutrients, it usually does not affect healthy specimens.<ref name = crow /> It tends to form a spheroid shape ranging in size from a [[golf ball]] to a [[soccer ball]]. Local spread of Ball Moss occurs by windblown [[seed]].<ref name = crow /> Ball Moss is sensitive to freezing, particularly when moist.<ref>{{cite journal
| last = Hagar
| first = CF
| year = 1990
| title = The effect of water content, cooling rate, and growth temperature on the freezing temperature of 4 Tillandsia species
| format = M.S. Thesis
| publisher = [[Texas A&M University]]}}</ref>
Ball Moss can be found in the [[Americas]], from the [[southern United States]] ([[Florida]] to [[Arizona]]) south to [[Argentina]] and [[Chile]].<ref>{{cite book
| author = Correll, Donovan Stewart and Johnston, Marshall Conring
| year = 1970
| title = Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas
| location = Renner, Texas
| publisher = Texas Research Foundation
| page = 356}}</ref>
{{Inc|
{{Inc|
Tillandsia recurvata, Linn. (T. Bartramii, Ell., at least in part). A few inches high, tufted, with scurfy terete or filiform recurved 2-ranked lvs.: fls. 1-5 on spike that is sheathed at the base but naked above, the corolla blue and exceeding the calyx. Fla. to Argentina and Chile.
Tillandsia recurvata, Linn. (T. Bartramii, Ell., at least in part). A few inches high, tufted, with scurfy terete or filiform recurved 2-ranked lvs.: fls. 1-5 on spike that is sheathed at the base but naked above, the corolla blue and exceeding the calyx. Fla. to Argentina and Chile.
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==Gallery==
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