Spanish Moss bursting into flower now!

Tillandsia usneoides
Family: Bromeliaceae 
(bromeliad or pineapple Family)

Spanish-moss (Tillandsia usneoides)
 tiny  green blossom

Tillandsia are epiphytes. A type of air plant that needs no soil because water and nutrients are absorbed through the leaves. The roots are used as anchors only. They are not parasitic!

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fragrance of the tiny
Spanish Moss flowers
is most noticeable in the
night air, from April to July



Spanish moss grows on the trees 

here in Savannah and Port Wentworth

Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) is a flowering plant that grows upon larger trees, such as the Southern Live Oak (Quercus virginiana), Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum), pecan (Carya illinoinensis)



Live oak (Quercus Virginiana)
with Spanish moss




Spanish moss on pecan trees





Spanish-moss
(Tillandsia usneoides)





























seed capsules appear after flowers



 Warm and sunny weather causes the capsules of the Spanish-moss (Tillandsia usneoides) to begin splitting open, releasing the dandelion-like seed into the air.

The capsules split open and

release the dandelion-like
seeds that will float away