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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=usneoides
|taxo_author=L.
| wide = <!--- 65cm (25 inches) -->
|common_name=Old man's beard, Spanish moss
| origin = ? <!--- Mexico, S America, S Europe, garden, etc -->
|name_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
| poisonous = <!--- indicate parts of plants which are known/thought to be poisonous -->
|habit=bromeliad
| lifespan = <!--- perennial, annual, etc -->
|habit_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
| exposure = ? <!--- full sun, part-sun, semi-shade, shade, indoors, bright filtered (you may list more than 1) -->
|Max ht box=24
| water = ? <!--- frequent, regular, moderate, drought tolerant, let dry then soak -->
|Max ht metric=in
| features = <!--- flowers, fragrance, fruit, naturalizes, invasive -->
|height_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
| hardiness = <!--- frost sensitive, hardy, 5°C (40°F), etc -->
|Max wd box=4
| bloom = <!--- seasons which the plant blooms, if it is grown for its flowers -->
|Max wd metric=in
| usda_zones = ? <!--- eg. 8-11 -->
|width_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
| sunset_zones = <!--- eg. 8, 9, 12-24, not available -->
|exposure=shade
| color = IndianRed
|sun_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
| image = Upload.png <!--- Freesia.jpg -->
|features=flowers
| image_width = 240px <!--- leave as 240px if horizontal orientation photo, or change to 180px if vertical -->
|flower_season=early summer, mid summer, late summer
| image_caption = <!--- eg. Cultivated freesias -->
|flower_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
| regnum = Plantae <!--- Kingdom -->
|flowers=blue, purple
| divisio = <!--- Phylum -->
|Temp Metric=°F
| classis = <!--- Class -->
|min_zone=11
| ordo = <!--- Order -->
|usda_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
| familia = <!--- Family -->
|max_zone=12
| genus =
|image=Spanish moss at the Mcbryde Garden in hawaii.jpg
| species =
|image_width=200
| subspecies =
}}
}}
'''Spanish moss''' (''Tillandsia usneoides'') is a [[flowering plant]] that grows upon larger [[tree]]s, commonly the Southern Live Oak (''[[Quercus virginiana]]'') or Bald Cypress (''[[Taxodium distichum]]'') in the [[southeastern United States]].
Spanish moss closely resembles its [[Specific name|namesake]] (''[[Usnea]]'', or beard lichen), but in fact it is not biologically related to either [[moss]]es or [[lichen]]s. Instead, it is an [[angiosperm]] in the family [[Bromeliaceae]] (the bromeliads) that grows hanging from tree branches in full sun or partial shade. Formerly this plant has been placed in the genera ''Anoplophytum'', ''Caraguata'', and ''Renealmia''.<ref>[http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genus.pl?12153 Genus: Tillandsia L.], GRIN Taxonomy for Plants, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture.</ref> It ranges from the [[southeastern United States]] (southern [[Virginia]] and eastern [[Maryland]]) to [[Argentina]], growing wherever the [[climate]] is warm enough and has a relatively high average [[humidity]].
The plant consists of a slender stem bearing alternate thin, curved or curly, heavily scaled [[leaf|leaves]] {{convert|2|–|6|cm|in|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|1|mm|in|abbr=on}} broad, that grow vegetatively in chain-like fashion (pendant) to form hanging structures up to {{convert|6|m|in|abbr=on}}<ref>http://www.floridata.com/ref/T/till_usn.cfm</ref> in length. The plant has no [[aerial root]]s <ref>http://www.floridata.com/ref/T/till_usn.cfm</ref>and its [[flower]]s are tiny and inconspicuous. It propagates both by [[seed]] and [[Vegetative reproduction|vegetatively]] by fragments that blow on the wind and stick to tree limbs, or are carried by [[bird]]s as nesting material.
Spanish moss is an [[epiphyte]] (a plant that lives upon other plants; from [[Greek language|Greek]] "epi"=upon "phyte"=plant), which absorbs [[nutrient]]s (especially [[calcium]]) and [[water]] from the air and [[rain]]fall. Spanish moss is colloquially known as "air plant".
{{Inc|
{{Inc|
Tillandsia usneoides, Linn. Spanish, Florida, or Long Moss. Whole plant hoary-gray, hanging from trees, the sts. very slender and often several feet long: lvs. scattered, narrow-linear, 1-3 in. long: fls. solitary in the lf.-axils, small and not showy, the petals yellow and reflexed at the end. Trop. Amer. and in the U. S. from Texas to Fla. and E. Va.; extends southward to S. Brazil. —This is one of the most characteristic plants of our southern regions. In moist regions it gives a most weird aspect to the forests. It is used as a packing material, and also, when specially prepared, for upholstery. It is rarely cult., although it is not uncommon in greenhouses, being hung on branches and beams; but it must be renewed frequently. The plant is named for its resemblance to the lichen Usnea.
Tillandsia usneoides, Linn. Spanish, Florida, or Long Moss. Figs. 3816, 3817. Whole plant hoary-gray, hanging from trees, the sts. very slender and often several feet long: lvs. scattered, narrow-linear, 1-3 in. long: fls. solitary in the lf.-axils, small and not showy, the petals yellow and reflexed at the end. Trop. Amer. and in the U. S. from Texas to Fla. and E. Va.; extends southward to S. Brazil. B.M. 6309. Gn. 37, p. 221. Gt. 45, p. 267. —This is one of the most characteristic plants of our southern regions. In moist regions it gives a most weird aspect to the forests. It is used as a packing material, and also, when specially prepared, for upholstery. It is rarely cult., although it is not uncommon in greenhouses, being hung on branches and beams; but it must be renewed frequently. The plant is named for its resemblance to the lichen Usnea.
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}}
==Gallery==
==Gallery==
{{photo-sources}}<!-- remove this line if there are already 3 or more photos in the gallery -->
<gallery perrow=5>
Image:Spanish moss.jpg|Spanish moss growing on an oak tree.
Image:DirkvdM orosi mossy tree.jpg|Spanish moss in [[Costa Rica]].
Image:Upload.png| photo 1
Image:Sp_moss_CU_th.jpg|Close-up of Spanish moss.
Image:Upload.png| photo 2
Image:Spanish-moss-tree.jpg|[[Quercus virginiana|Southern Live Oak]] with Spanish moss hanging from it.
Image:Upload.png| photo 3
Image:Mousse espagnole en Louisiane.JPG|Spanish moss in [[Louisiana]].
Image:Peles Hair.jpg|{{okina}}Umi{{okina}}umi-o-Dole with a [[taro]] leaf background.
Image:Spanish moss sg.jpg|Spanish moss on a tree at a park in [[Singapore]].
Image:Spanish_moss_sc.jpg|Spanish moss growing on a tree on [[Hilton Head Island, South Carolina]]
Image:Sp moss CU th.jpg|Closeup
</gallery>
</gallery>
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