Spotlight on Tillandsia usneoides

It is a strictly epiphytic bromeliad that produces very long, scaly leaves which are curved, coiled and hang down from the branches of trees, to which it clings by means of aerial roots.

English speakers often refer to it as ‘Spanish moss’ (literally ‘Spanish moss’), although it bears no resemblance to moss and is not native to the Iberian Peninsula. It is found in tropical climates, from the southern United States to Argentina.

Some facts about the extraordinary Tillandsia usneoides

• A single clump can measure over 2 metres in length.
• Fragments are occasionally detached and carried by the wind, and even by birds using them to build their nests… these fragments themselves give rise to new plants, ensuring successful reproduction and a wide distribution of the species.
• It favours oak and cypress trees, on which it sometimes forms clumps so thick that they help to break up gusts of wind, making the trees more resilient in the event of a hurricane!
• In its natural habitat, it provides a home for a species of spider (Pelegrina tillandsiae) found nowhere else. Other wildlife that benefits from it includes small snakes and bats.