And Spanish moss blooms in the spring!

Thank you Tara. I think that is why I am enjoying them so much. I live about 20 to 30 min from the beach and before I hurt myself I was a regular after the tourists went home, to just walk and pick up stuff I thought was different. Then the girl who works for me is also a regular beachcomber and she brings me stuff. I have had to buy some driftwood since that is not always fit to use in arrangements, but mostly I use stuff I have picked up over the years. I love the little sea turtles and I have no idea where I got them and now I must search, since I have used my last one. They come in packs and I used to put them on the horse shoes I did for beach people. Now the search will begin.

drdawg said:And Spanish moss blooms in the spring!

It blooms???????really?????

Thank you Tiffany and JB! (:

All of your air plants are just cool. Someday I will have to have some of those.

Yes, Jacquie, @JB, Spanish moss really does bloom. These photos were taken on June 1, 2016, of four different bunches of moss. Until I photographed the flowers 2-3 years ago, no one believed me when I said that I saw flowers on my moss.

That's cool! Great pics!

Huh, we have it here in GA, but I've never seen it bloom. Not that being high up in an oak tree helps with seeing little blooms like that.

You do need to be pretty close to see them but never realizing they are there, folks that have been around Spanish moss their entire lives have simply never really looked. I guess you would call me "inquisitive", having seen the flowers in the first place. What really clued me into the possibility of flowers,was that I noticed seed-capsules on the moss three summers back, and then I was on the lookout for whatever produced those capsules. The capsules are more readily seen.

Those two photos were taken in June, 2014.

I bought a few off evil bay then found this grower.
http://www.rainforestflora.com...
Just a day away for shipping and very nice plants.

I have been lucky with mine, kittens got 1 or 2 but the rest are actually growing. I mist everyday and long soak ever 8-10 days.

Tiffany and for the acorn gift.

You're welcome, awesome pics!

@madcratebuilder, I have several "rare" staghorn that came from 'Rainforest Flora' and have now had them for 8 years. Back then, Rainforest was about the only place that sold any staghorns that were not the usual varieties. Their rarer plants were very expensive, even for tiny ones. They are still expensive. Two of the ones I have are magnificent specimens and Rainforest doesn't even have those available. They are the Mauna Loa and the Mickey's Rainbow. One that was a rare one back then is the "French Staghorn", aka "Silver Staghorn". I now am beginning to see it advertised for sale, so its price is a bit less.

The second Stag Horn I bought was a French Stag Horn, small plant under $10, It is growing very fast, I put it a wood slat basket with spagmoss. Leaves are 14"+ already. I always thought these needed a greenhouse but I'm having great luck with several in a south facing window, bright but not direct sun. I mist them often.

Staghorns actually make great houseplants, Steve. They basically need what most every other houseplant needs, bright light, watering and (diluted) fertilization, warmth, and some air movement. They are very "forgiving" plants but it is helpful to understand what they need to do their best and why.

Had an interesting thing happen this week. On Aug. 18th I purchased a collection of Air Plants. I can't remember the proper name for this collection. They were shipped from Florida the day they were ordered. They stopped at NJ and were put on a plane instead of taken to the P.O. and they went to Springfield Mass. They were there overnight and got the next flight back to NJ. They then sat in NJ distribution center for another few hours and then put on a truck to go to the P.O. but, on the way they stopped off at Trenton for another few hours and finally they arrived at my P.O. in the morning of this past Friday. They were delivered the afternoon of Sat. August 27th.

This is what they looked like when they arrived.



I soaked then for over 12 hours since it was late in the afternoon Sat. when they arrived. This is what they looked like soaking.


I laid them out to dry and get some good light. Including some fresh air on the deck. I am hoping they all survive but I am not sure they will. They are guaranteed and the company will replace them if necessary. Keep in mind the heat they were shipped in and this group did not have an ice pack which the others from there did. But, these were shipped priority and expected to be here in two days.


I am praying for their recovery.

That is terrible. I ordered some cuttings on Etsy from a FL seller and it took a week to get here (mind you, I am in GA). That was annoying at best, but your story, that makes me lose all faith in the Postal Service (if even I had much left).

They look so much better after being soaked, but I guess only time will tell how well they recover. I am glad that you have a guarantee on them, but it is sad that the company has to lose money due to someone else's (USPS) poor service.

From what all they endured during this poor service, they look rather good! Your soaking them, and good fresh air will go a long way in their survival, I'm sure! Good job!

Looks like a nice selection! 's for their survival!

Jacquie, Tillandsia can literally go for several weeks without water. That's just their nature. Keep them in a shady spot, getting early morning or very late afternoon sun is a bonus, and water them every week. They should all be fine. I simply grow all mine under trees and hose them down regularly, sometimes every day since I am hosing down all my other tropicals daily. They don't need watering so frequently, though it doesn't seem to hurt them. They will go on a water-diet in the fall/winter, when they are inside. No more than a weekly dunking during those months.

An air plant would never be under water out in nature.