SPANISH MOSS ON OAK TREES

I took this picture of Spanish Moss on a Oak tree on the biking/walking path we use. This is something we don't have in Michigan. It's always fascinating to me to see the Spanish Moss on these huge Oak trees. Although they do grow on other trees.

Although, I'm no expert, here are some things I have learned about Spanish Moss:
It grows slowly, and spreads from branch to branch and tree to tree, probably by the wind.
It houses tiny "bugs" or "thingies" (mites and chiggers) that should not be brought into your house. It should be treated by spraying with an insect spray and allowed to dry and air out before bringing into the house.

It doesn't survive (live) inside a house because there isn't enough moisture, so if you use it for decoration, you will have to replace it to keep it from looking shriveled up, dried out, colorless, and "dead".

It lives only in areas of high humidity, and does best close to bodies of water. If you live in a dry climate, don't even bother trying to keep any alive.

While it doesn't technically kill a tree by living on it's branches and robbing it of nutrients, if it grows too thick, it will block sunshine from the leaves as it grows, and eventually the branches of the trees upon which it resides will die. It can also overburden branches by its weight and cause them to break. usually has Spanish Moss on it.

Because it absorbs a lot of water when it rains, heavy clumps of Spanish Moss can cause entire branches of the Live Oak tree to break off.

Other than pulling it off the tree branches, I don't know of anything that will kill it without damaging the trees.

I love seeing it in the Live Oak trees, but it isn't anything I would bring into my house for decoration.

"Goodbye until later".