Here is some great info on Texas Ball Moss. See the full article here: http://texasforestservice.tamu.edu/main/popup.aspx?id=1264 What is ball moss? Ball moss (Tillandsia recurvata) is a small epiphyte commonly found clinging to limbs of liveoaks and other trees in southwest Texas. Ball moss is not a moss, but a true plant withflowers and seeds. It is a member of the bromeliad family, which also contains Spanish moss and pineapple. What is an epiphyte? Epiphytes are plants that attach themselves to limbs, tree trunks, power lines, fences, and many other structures with pseudo-roots. These are not true roots. They do not absorb water and minerals; they merely attach the plant to an aerial structure. Since epiphytes do not take nutrients and water from these aerial structures, they are not parasites; therefore, ball moss is not a parasite. If ball moss is not a parasite, then why did those branches covered with it die? If you take careful notice, you will observe the majority of these dead limbs are in the interior of the tree’s canopy. Ball moss prefers an environment with low sunlight intensity and high humidity. The interior canopy of trees (especially live oaks) provides an ideal environment for ball moss. These interior limbs die from a lack of sunlight; then the ball moss plants colonize these branches. Should I control ball moss? If the tree is heavily covered with ball moss (to the extent that the plants are covering the exterior of the canopy) or if you just cannot stand having something growing on your trees, control is recommended. If it is a light infestation and does not bother you,...
