Spanish Moss

Spanish Moss, common name for a flowering, perennial epiphyte, of the pineapple family. The plant is native to the western hemisphere from Argentina to the southern United States. Spanish moss is rootless, living attached to the trunks and branches of trees, especially evergreen oaks; the plant is often seen hanging in long, grey strands from the branches of its host. It is superficially similar to some lichens. The stem, which attains a length of 1.8 m (6 ft), is slender and thread-like and is covered with small scales that enable it to absorb moisture. The plant rarely flowers and when it does the yellow flowers are inconspicuous. The fruit is a capsule. Spanish moss is used as a packing material and yields black, horsehair-like fibre used in upholstering furniture.

Scientific classification: Spanish moss belongs to the family Bromeliaceae. It is classified as Tillandsia usneoides.