Bubbles ~ does Tillandsia recurvata survive the occasional freezes that you receive? Kristi

It's 37 here, but the wind is just fierce. I'm putting off going out to get the paper until it gets light outside. We'll have a hard freeze tonight, but no snow for us.
The ball moss grows from seeds that the birds drop. It's supposed to only affect the limbs that are already dead or dying. Now it looks like the ball moss (Tillandsia) may eventually wraps around the limb, thus cutting into the bark.

Is it what we know in this area as Spanish moss?

We call it ball moss. It's different than Spanish moss. And freezes don't seem to bother it. Once it gets a good hold in a tree, it keeps the tree branches from leafing out. It can be "controlled" somewhat with spaying it with a baking soda (or potassium bicarbonate) solution. That kills it, but unfortunately, it also can burn some of whatever is growing around the tree. And the ball moss doesn't fall off after it's dead. It's a pest!

Now let me make sure I'm clear. The ball moss is a Tillandsia species?

T. recurvata is commonly called ball moss here.

Hmmm... thanks. I need to read up on that one.

Got it ... thanks for the info.

Sandi there is all sorts of discussion about the T recurvata. I've also read that the ball moss overakes the tree by light suffocation. They'll get into the crown of the tree and cause the inner part of the tree to eventually be starved for light, and then the limbs die off. We have a mild case in the hackberry in front and it has thankfully not spread much. An older tree further up our street was encased a few years back and is now completely dead. Interestingly, the ball moss does not seem to affect the chinaberry or the chinese pistache.

Interesting that it affects some trees and not others. Since they are epiphytes I might assume that is what happens elsewhere as well.