I learned something new this morning. Landscaper Brian Schatz read a newspaper article about a middle school student taking on Spanish moss for his science project. I remember reading that article and thinking “cool.” But the landscaper points out a major flaw in the student’s work: the moss is apparently not a threat to trees.
The story is a nice read but has major flaws. Spanish moss is not an environmental problem.
Points about Spanish moss:
• It’s an epiphyte, not a parasite.
• It takes advantage of slow growing or weakened trees with good bark crevices.
• It has more opportunities to flourish and become abundant in very sickened trees.
• It has been seen to grow on braided power line wires where crevices create opportunities for roots to fasten.
• Healthy trees shed bark and thereby slough moss onto the ground. As trunks and branches grow, bark with moss attached regularly flakes off. Healthy trees show little moss.
• Slowing, aged, damaged or dying trees do not slough bark regularly, thereby creating more opportunities for moss to send seeds into bark crevices and flourish.
The first science lesson here should have been to dispel the myth that these epiphytes are “infesting” the trees and are something to feel sorry about.
Continuing, the “natural substance” to fight this “problem” is also misleading. The moss is the canary in the coal mine, not the cause of tree death.
Natural inquiry should have been, “Why do so many trees have Spanish moss on them?”
Too often in my landscape design and consulting business, I have to dispel the myth that Spanish moss is the culprit in killing trees. With this article printed, it looks like I will be repeating it again and again. There is no wonder why this myth is so hard to get rid of.
Also, Spanish moss is actually the habitat for a few bat species. I am sure that the bats would not appreciate a baking soda bath. Further, Cesar would likely regret the whole idea if he only knew about the bats and their place in the ecosystems of Florida.
Now I know why some trees in my yard are infested with moss whereas others aren’t. Cool. According to a few websites I searched (here’s one), the landscaper is essentially right. The only threat the moss might pose to trees is covering some of the tree’s leaves and thus prevent photosynthesis.
QUOTE “The only threat the moss might pose to trees is covering some of the tree’s leaves and thus prevent photosynthesis.”
That alone can kill a tree. If a tree does not get a good amount of photosynthesis then that will cause the tree to weaken and thereby leave it susceptible to diseases. So in a way, you could say that, YES, it does kill trees. Maybe not directly but the forage cutting off the photosynthesis is its culprit. I had some good oaks untill moss took over them. Now they barely have enough leaves to survive and they always have a lot of dead limbs full of moss to fall off every year. The more moss, the more dead limbs.
Now! Tell us how to get rid of it. I had a dogwood that had a lot of moss on it and it looked terrible. Barely any limb was good. I took the moss off, trimmed the dead off and the past year it has come back to good health.