A happy coincidence has prompted this little posting. Last weekend Pammy and I moved our Spanish Moss (aka Old Man's Beard, or more correctly Tillandsia usneoides), from the spot where it has not thrived into one where we hope it will do much better.
Then this morning I was visiting Ngeun's blog and there was his gorgeous watercolour painting of Tillandsia usneoides (along with lots of other really interesting watercolours). Time for a Tillandsia posting here at GA!
Pam and I have always loved Spanish moss, and our plant once was a thriving, healthy thing that actually flowered for us, but over the last few years it has gone downhill slowly but surely, and we thought it must be its position that's to blame. Time for a move to a better, kinder spot, because we both love this unusual yet wonderful air plant.
Now, last year while in the USA we saw ridiculous amounts of Spanish moss thriving on the Southern Live Oak trees which they favour over there. Pictured below are just two examples from an old plantation in Mississippi which sum up the magic of this 'air plant' which has no roots and gets all its nutrients and moisture from the rain and runoff from the trees on which it resides.
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| This is the look we're after; just like the old plantation down in Natchez, Mississippi (which you can read about here). |
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| All we lack here is 50 acres of ground and a hundred or so centuries-old Southern Live Oaks. |
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| So our olive tree will have to do, and the remnants of our unhappy Spanish Moss will have to start up a colony there. |
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| The former position of our Spanish Moss was a pair of wall pots down the side of our house. At first it thrived there for a few years, then in the last two years it just began to die off and wither. I thought its spot was semi-shady enough, but perhaps it did get a bit too much full sun in the midday blast of heat? There was enough left in fairly good condition to start up the current olive tree drapings, so I am hoping Sydney's coming humid, wet summer will do the rest. |
We'll know that our Spanish Moss is truly happy once more when it starts to flower. Back in November 2008, our Spanish Moss was so deliriously in love with life that it actually flowered. I blogged about that here, and they are teeny weeny tiny little flowers, but since then in subsequent Novembers it has failed to bloom. I'm expecting no baby green blooms this year of course, but my hopes will be up high this time next year. Stay tuned. In the meantime, and to finish off, three pix of the Old Man's Beard in full bloom, from the glory days, when it was healthy, young and carefree, in love with life.
8 comments:
Old Man's Beard is beautiful, isn't it? There were quite a few trees with loads of it in Callan Park, Rozelle. I'll have a look when I am walking today and see if it is still there...
I saw this growing in Northern California growing on trees right by the coast, an amazing sight! Thanks for reminding me of a lovely holiday. Christina
How interesting, I have only become a fan of Old Man's Beard over the past year and I never knew it flowered! I bought my first piece at a local Horticultural show last year. Surprisingly it survived and thrived!
I was passing a charity stall in our main street a few months ago I saw a large box of it for sale. As it was getting towards the end if the day, I was sold the whole lot which filled a plastic shopping bag, for only $3.
I have it hanging off the branches of a row of large trees at the rear of my garden, protected from the hot sun and just looking beautiful and now I can look forward to perhaps one day seeing it flower.
Aw shucks! Thanks for the plug Jamie; really appreciate it! Re. the Spanish moss, I bought mine from a yard sale & a mass of it was wrapped around a pine cone & then tied to a branch with a string. Really clever idea I think, & you can wrap it around practically anything (drift wood, etc). The lady said she sprays it with water about once a fortnight, & you're right, dappled light is best. I left mine in a tied plastic shopping bag for weeks during transit & when I went to open it, they never looked happier! Lol, they must've loved the humidity in the bag. Such a pretty little flower, like a three pointed star, reminds me of Masdevallia, although many times smaller. There's something quite eerie/spooky (in a cool kinda way) about them! :)
to tell the diffrence between spanish moss and old man's beard (usnea), pull the center cord apart inside there will either be a white or black core. white is usnea and black is spanish moss.
I was recently given a potted orchid as a gift, and the florist has "dressed" the top of the pot with several clumps of old man's beard...they are just sitting in there loose. Do you know if it's possible to start a new plant just from one of these clumps? thanks, davidmorganbutler@gmail.com
David, it's close to being a weed it's so easy to grow.
Just drape the foliage over something to which it can cling (ie, anything with roughish bark), and it will grow. If some of mine blows off in strong winds, I just plonk it somewhere else and a new clump starts. It's all over my garden now, quite happily so.
Watering it regularly with a spray works wonders, but if your area gets plenty of rain, total neglect is sufficient care.
You have made an extraordinary showing. I will most likely burrow it and generally suggest to my companions. I am sure they will be profited from this site.
hegn jern
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