Spanish Moss In VA?

[PalmTreeDude]

Could I potentially grow Spanish Moss outdoors in Virginia? I am just south of Richmond, zone 7a/7b. I know Spanish Moss is native to Extreme South Eastern Virginia, but I wonder if I could grow it here.

Edited December 18, 2016 by PalmTreeDude

[NorCalKing]

A better question, why would you want to grow it? I know it's a haven for insects.

[PalmTreeDude]

1 hour ago, NorCalKing said:

A better question, why would you want to grow it? I know it's a haven for insects.

So are a lot of palms. It has a deep south look to it. Why not experiment with it?

[NorCalKing]

4 minutes ago, PalmTreeDude said:

So are a lot of palms. It has a deep south look to it. Why not experiment with it?

I'm all for experimenting, hell, my zone 10 stuff is witness to that lol. I just find (IMHO) they don't add a tropical look. Again, opinions vary. 

[epiphyte]

The Race to Canada!  You should definitely try and help your favorite candidate win the race.  It would probably be a good idea to get some from the population in Southeastern Virginia if you can.  I'm guessing it probably has more cold tolerance than the variety in Florida.  I'm sure that you will be able to find plenty strands of Spanish Moss on the forest floor in need of saving.  Rescue as much of it as you can by following Linus's Law (given enough eyeballs, all easter eggs are shallow) and then follow the number one plant rule... don't keep all your eggs in one basket.  Spread the Spanish Moss around your yard and the yards of your neighbors and friends.  The more microhabitats you put the Spanish Moss in... the greater the chances that some strands will survive an exceptionally cold year.  

Several years back I got a good deal on a big overgrown Cattleya orchid on Craigslist.  I followed the number one plant rule and hedged my bets.  I attached the divisions to around a dozen trees.  A year or two later a freeze took out half of the divisions.  

Ideally you'll want to collect the seeds of the Spanish Moss and sow them on suitable branches.  Left to their own devices... most of the seeds will land on the ground.  The more Spanish Moss seeds you sow on the trees... the more genetic variation... and the greater the chances that an apple will fall far from the tree in the direction of greater cold tolerance.  Progress is all about difference.  

I have a ton of Spanish Moss.  If you find enough and want to exchange some then send me a private message.  I'm guessing that my Cali variety would get killed by your typical winter but it would be an interesting experiment.  

Edited December 18, 2016 by epiphyte

[PalmTreeDude]

4 hours ago, NorCalKing said:

I'm all for experimenting, hell, my zone 10 stuff is witness to that lol. I just find (IMHO) they don't add a tropical look. Again, opinions vary. 

Not a tropical look, but a deep south look.

[PalmTreeDude]

30 minutes ago, epiphyte said:

The Race to Canada!  You should definitely try and help your favorite candidate win the race.  It would probably be a good idea to get some from the population in Southeastern Virginia if you can.  I'm guessing it probably has more cold tolerance than the variety in Florida.  I'm sure that you will be able to find plenty strands of Spanish Moss on the forest floor in need of saving.  Rescue as much of it as you can by following Linus's Law (given enough eyeballs, all easter eggs are shallow) and then follow the number one plant rule... don't keep all your eggs in one basket.  Spread the Spanish Moss around your yard and the yards of your neighbors and friends.  The more microhabitats you put the Spanish Moss in... the greater the chances that some strands will survive an exceptionally cold year.  

Several years back I got a good deal on a big overgrown Cattleya orchid on Craigslist.  I followed the number one plant rule and hedged my bets.  I attached the divisions to around a dozen trees.  A year or two later a freeze took out half of the divisions.  

Ideally you'll want to collect the seeds of the Spanish Moss and sow them on suitable branches.  Left to their own devices... most of the seeds will land on the ground.  The more Spanish Moss seeds you sow on the trees... the more genetic variation... and the greater the chances that an apple will fall far from the tree in the direction of greater cold tolerance.  Progress is all about difference.  

I have a ton of Spanish Moss.  If you find enough and want to exchange some then send me a private message.  I'm guessing that my Cali variety would get killed by your typical winter but it would be an interesting experiment.  

Hmm... I never really thought about collecting some of the Virginia veriety. I would definitely only collect it off the ground or very low to the ground, I don't want to take part in messing up the population that has a great chance of survival. I always thought Spanish Moss seeds were very very very small, are they? If I can get Spanish Moss to seed and then the seeds grow on my trees, then it looks like I just started a new northern exteme variety. 

Edited December 19, 2016 by PalmTreeDude

[epiphyte]

22 hours ago, PalmTreeDude said:

Hmm... I never really thought about collecting some of the Virginia veriety. I would definitely only collect it off the ground or very low to the ground, I don't want to take part in messing up the population that has a great chance of survival. I always thought Spanish Moss seeds were very very very small, are they? If I can get Spanish Moss to seed and then the seeds grow on my trees, then it looks like I just started a new northern exteme variety. 

There should be plenty of strands on the ground.  Even if there aren't... well... survival is a function of hedging.  So if you help a species hedge its bets... then you help increase its chances of survival.  

"People collect baseball cards and people collect plant seeds.  In reality, it is not all that surprising that as people move around they help preserve the genetic diversity of plants." - Norman C. Ellstrand. Maize Germplasm Conservation in Southern California’s Urban Gardens: Introduced Diversity Beyond ex situ and in situ Management

Spanish Moss seeds are relatively small.  They are a lot smaller than coconuts... but definitely larger than orchid seeds.  

I have a lot more Spanish Moss than Tillandsia aeranthos but for some reason I find more aeranthos volunteers.  Usually the Spanish Moss has plenty of seed pods but more often than not the pod will open but the seeds won't fly the coop.  Instead, they'll simply germinate right there.  So there will be small clusters of babies attached to stands of Spanish Moss. Not sure if that's supposed to happen.    

I'm guessing that most Tillandsias prefer to have their seeds dispersed before, rather than during, the rainy season.  Well... clearly Tillandsias prefer to have their pods open when it's adequately windy.  

[DCA_Palm_Fan]

On 12/18/2016, 6:58:37, PalmTreeDude said:

Not a tropical look, but a deep south look.

If he isn't from the Eastern United States, he likely wont understand what it means to us over here.  Its definitively Southeastern even more so than being generally southern. 

 

As for collecting, I would only collect what is on the ground.   I was impressed at the large amounts of Spanish Moss that was within reach on low branches, that had been left along at First Landing State Park.   We should keep it that way since it is very rare in Virginia.   I have always been against collecting anything in the wild that is rare and / or endangered.   Think about it, what if every plant collector wanted something endangered and took it from the wild?  Well, it very well may disappear.  Take only what is on the ground and nothing else. There should be more than enough there. 

I have high doubts about it indoors. Its way too dry, and Spanish Moss needs natural rain. It derives much of its nutrients from rainwater.  I'm convinced that tapwater is terrible for it if not lethal.   I honestly do not thing that it will survive much further inland than the VA Beach / Hampton Roads area.  First Landing State Park is a very special place that is very heavily influenced by the ocean as it is surrounded by it on 3 sides.  I would bet that it is likely one of the warmest places in Souteastern VA.  Even when I lived very close to the shore of the Potomac River in 7B, I could not get Spanish Moss to survive.   Granted, I did not take any from First Landing State Park, because I think it is wrong to do so.  So I really don't know if it would survive elsewhere in a similar environment.  If you are as far inland is Richmond, that climate is very different from VA Beach and sees substantially colder temps at times.   

[GDLWyverex]

On 12/18/2016, 9:11:29, PalmTreeDude said:

Could I potentially grow Spanish Moss outdoors in Virginia? I am just south of Richmond, zone 7a/7b. I know Spanish Moss is native to Extreme South Eastern Virginia, but I wonder if I could grow it here.

I grow it in Guadalajara, just for fun. It is a very slow grower and not too fond of direct sun. The only problem I envision is posible reaction to winter cold.

[GDLWyverex]

40 minutes ago, GDLWyverex said:

I grow it in Guadalajara, just for fun. It is a very slow grower and not too fond of direct sun. The only problem I envision is posible reaction to winter cold.

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

I tried some in a few live oak trees that lived for a few years before the temperature dropped below 20 accompanied with ice and killed it. It always seemed to do really well in April-June then declined in July-September when we were around 100 degrees and the humidity dropped.  Then it would do well again in October before getting beat up during winter. 

[climate change virginia]

@PalmTreeDude Sure go for it! the Spanish Moss at the first landing site survived 1F think its a good idea. 

Edited February 3, 2021 by climate change virginia