Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides)
Also known as:
old man's beard
Spanish moss is a hanging plant without roots that grows over other plants in wet or humid conditions. It can damage its host plant.
Profile
How does this weed affect you?
Spanish moss can become so thick that it:
- shades the leaves of the host tree
- smoothers host trees
- damages host trees when branches snap off.
Spanish moss is problematic on Lord Howe Island where it threatens its unique World Heritage Listed ecosystems.
What does it look like?
Spanish moss is a blue-grey slender plant without roots. It has chain-like stems and leaves that can grow over live or dead plants.
Leaves are:
- silver to grey-green and bright green when wet
- 20–45 mm long and up to 1 mm in diameter.
- thread-like and curly
- densely covered with small scales
- arranged in two rows on opposite sides of a stem and in the same plane.
Flowers are:
- pale blue or green
- 9 - 11 mm long and have
- stalkless
- fragrant at night.
Fruit are:
- cylindrical capsules with a small beak
- up to 2.5 cm long.
Seeds are:
- 2-3 mm long and have white hairs up to 25 mm long.
Where is it found?
In NSW, Spanish moss has been found on the north shore of Sydney, in and around Lismore on the North Coast and on Lord Howe Island.
It is native to tropical and subtropical America. Spanish moss is also a weed in Queensland and some Pacific Islands.
What type of environment does it grow in?
Spanish moss grows well in wet and humid areas. It can tolerate full sun or part shade. It grows best on living trees but can grow on dead branches and fences. Plants are dormant in dry weather and can regrow after rain.
How does it spread?
By seeds
Spanish moss can spread from seed or plant parts. The light and fluffy seed floats on the wind, sticks to tree branches and starts new plants.
By plant parts
Spanish moss can regrow from stems that are moved to new locations. These can be moved by people, birds that use the moss for nests, and by the wind.
References
Australian Plant Society. (2014) Inquiry into Environmental Biosecurity. retrieved March 2019 from: https://www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStore.ashx?id=b909c0cf-55a4-4f1c-96a2-dee2cacd888f&subId=299250
Floridata (n.d.) Floridata Plant Profile #571 Tillandsia usneoides. retrieved March 2019 from: https://floridata.com/plant/571
PIER Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk. (2005). Risk assessment results for Tillandsia usneoides. Retrieved March 2019 from: http://www.hear.org/Pier/wra/pacific/tillandsia_usneoides_htmlwra.htm
PlantNET (The NSW Plant Information Network System). Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney. Retrieved March 2019 from: https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Tillandsia~usneoides
More information
Control
By hand
Spanish moss is easy to remove from the host plant though accessing plants may be difficult if they are growing in tall trees. Plant material should be disposed of appropriately.
Herbicide options
Contact your local council weeds officer for control advice for Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides).
Biosecurity duty
The content provided here is for information purposes only and is taken from the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 and its subordinate legislation, and the Regional Strategic Weed Management Plans (published by each Local Land Services region in NSW). It describes the state and regional priorities for weeds in New South Wales, Australia.
| Area | Duty |
|---|---|
| All of NSW | General Biosecurity Duty All pest plants are regulated with a general biosecurity duty to prevent, eliminate or minimise any biosecurity risk they may pose. Any person who deals with any plant, who knows (or ought to know) of any biosecurity risk, has a duty to ensure the risk is prevented, eliminated or minimised, so far as is reasonably practicable. |
For technical advice and assistance with identification please contact your local council weeds officer.
Reviewed 2014
