Spanish moss confirmed thriving on a Florida street tree
iNaturalist: ericanicole6
Native Plants
That gray, draping plant hanging from oaks in your neighborhood isn't a parasite killing the tree; it's an air-loving epiphyte that just uses branches as a perch while pulling moisture and nutrients straight from rain and air.
Someone spotted Spanish moss growing on a tree along a residential street in West Palm Beach and logged it on iNaturalist, where other naturalists confirmed the identification. Spanish moss isn't a moss at all; it's a flowering plant related to pineapples that drapes itself over tree branches without putting down roots into the bark.
Key Findings
Observation verified as 'research-grade' on iNaturalist, meaning community consensus confirmed the species ID
Location documented as Parker Ave, West Palm Beach, Florida, US
Species is Tillandsia usneoides, an epiphytic bromeliad commonly found on oak and cypress trees in the southeastern US
chevron_right Technical Summary
A citizen scientist logged a research-grade sighting of Spanish moss growing in West Palm Beach, Florida, confirming this iconic epiphyte's continued presence in local urban tree canopies.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) observed in Parker Ave, West Palm Beach, FL, US
Research-grade observation of Spanish moss in Parker Ave, West Palm Beach, FL, US.
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Species Mentioned
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Spanish moss is an epiphytic flowering plant that often grows upon large trees in tropical and subtropical climates. It is native to much of Mexico, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Central America, South America, the Southern United States, and West Indies. It has been naturalized in Queensland (Australia)...