Spanish Moss in Nj

[Nj Palms]

I got this Spanish moss from Savannah just this week. Put it on an overhanging broadleaf oak and a bald cypress in the front of the house. Didn't put too much on that one as I heard deer may eat Spanish moss. I plan to take the moss in only when it gets below 10 two or three times a year. I will leave some strands out to weather it out. Does anyone know the min. temp that it can take? P.S sorry for the photo spam.

[Nj Palms]

[PalmatierMeg]

Neat stuff. I have some in several places. I had to look up its cold hardiness but research tells me spanish moss can survive down to 15F (zone 8b).

[Nj Palms]

I had some from last year in my green house and it survived 10°. Minimal damage,

[Brad Mondel]

It grows in Columbia SC, zone 8a. 

[sevapalms]

The hardiness depends on where you got it from, in my experience. I got moss from its native range in Virginia Beach and it wasn’t damaged at 2-5 degrees, but I had some I bought from Florida that did not survive those temperatures. Anyway, good luck!

Edited April 28, 2019 by sevapalms

[PalmTreeDude]

I grow it here in Virginia, it really likes heat and humidity. Spanish Moss is native in coastal parts of Southeast Virginia. I'm not sure how it will do in NJ. It does not like being on metal too much. Yours looks good and I hope it survives! 

Edited April 29, 2019 by PalmTreeDude

[Laaz]

You can have it, it's full of bugs...

[Nj Palms]

6 hours ago, Laaz said:

You can have it, it's full of bugs...

I've surprisingly never had an issue with bugs on Spanish Moss. I wash it as soon as I get it so that may help.

[Mr.SamuraiSword]

I have seen it in Virginia beach.  I believe they are native around there too

[NorCalKing]

14 hours ago, Laaz said:

You can have it, it's full of bugs...

I'm with you. Why on earth someone would choose to grow it, is beyond me.

[RaleighNC]

I'd definitely grow it. Bromeliads are cool.

[SEVA]

2 hours ago, NorCalKing said:

I'm with you. Why on earth someone would choose to grow it, is beyond me.

As someone who lives both in the South and within its native range, I find myself fortunate.  It might have bugs, but it's beauty is worth it.  If it didn't grow here and thought it had a chance, I'd try to grow it.  I wish it was as dense here as it is in parts of Virginia Beach. 

[Silas_Sancona]

10 hours ago, Nj Palms said:

I've surprisingly never had an issue with bugs on Spanish Moss. I wash it as soon as I get it so that may help.

Have to agree.. For all the times i have spent raking up old clumps off the ground around the house, at work after a storm, or just harvesting a handful out of trees when in Florida, never had issues w/ any "uninvited guests".  Old stuff that has been sitting on the ground for awhile?.. i might avoid collecting that however..

As for why someone, ( including myself ) would grow it / want to grow it within ...or well beyond it's native range?..    idk,  lol, ..with that kind of thinking, why grow anything.

 

[Nj Palms]

3 hours ago, NorCalKing said:

I'm with you. Why on earth someone would choose to grow it, is beyond me.

 I have heard of people doing reverse zone pushing. Some try growing spruces and other temperate trees in South Texas and South Florida.

[Nj Palms]

7 hours ago, Mr.SamuraiSword said:

I have seen it in Virginia beach.  I believe they are native around there too

Yes it is. First Landing State Park is loaded with it. 

[RJ]

31 minutes ago, Nj Palms said:

 I have heard of people doing reverse zone pushing. Some try growing spruces and other temperate trees in South Texas and South Florida.

There are lots of conifers that I would try down here that I could easily grow up north. I've never been a big spruce fan however.  They look good when young but as they get larger loos their appeal to me. :shrug: 

 

The Columbia Zoo has an Eastern Hemlock growing that is several hundred miles from it's native range. Quite fortunate as it's far enough removed to keep is away from the hemlock woolly adelgid that has made skeletons of record sized trees in the smokies.

I was fortunate when I lived up north that I was far enough north that the hemlock woolly adelgid couldn't handle the cold and I built a post and beam home and barn from it on my property. Prolonged temps of -5 to -10 kill the adelgid. I have family is Massachusetts though that have lost dozens of hemlocks - Just not quite cold enough. 

 

I've heard that spanish moss harbors chiggers, however, I've never had any issue with it down here or any other bugs. It certainly helps to create the hot humid SE feel though. I personally can take it or leave it. 

 

 

[Nj Palms]

1 hour ago, RJ said:

There are lots of conifers that I would try down here that I could easily grow up north. I've never been a big spruce fan however.  They look good when young but as they get larger loos their appeal to me. :shrug: 

 

The Columbia Zoo has an Eastern Hemlock growing that is several hundred miles from it's native range. Quite fortunate as it's far enough removed to keep is away from the hemlock woolly adelgid that has made skeletons of record sized trees in the smokies.

I was fortunate when I lived up north that I was far enough north that the hemlock woolly adelgid couldn't handle the cold and I built a post and beam home and barn from it on my property. Prolonged temps of -5 to -10 kill the adelgid. I have family is Massachusetts though that have lost dozens of hemlocks - Just not quite cold enough. 

 

I've heard that spanish moss harbors chiggers, however, I've never had any issue with it down here or any other bugs. It certainly helps to create the hot humid SE feel though. I personally can take it or leave it. 

 

 

Never heard about the Adelgid. There are some hemlock here but not many.

[NorCalKing]

5 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Have to agree.. For all the times i have spent raking up old clumps off the ground around the house, at work after a storm, or just harvesting a handful out of trees when in Florida, never had issues w/ any "uninvited guests".  Old stuff that has been sitting on the ground for awhile?.. i might avoid collecting that however..

As for why someone, ( including myself ) would grow it / want to grow it within ...or well beyond it's native range?..    idk,  lol, ..with that kind of thinking, why grow anything.

 

From that perspective, I guess I get it lol. I just know my encounters with it has always resulted in some bug issues. 

[RJ]

7 hours ago, Nj Palms said:

Never heard about the Adelgid. There are some hemlock here but not many.

The western and mountain hemlocks is immune to it. Not so with our eastern hemlock. 

https://chemjettreeinjector.com/woolly-adelgid/

 

 

Those grey skeletons are dead hemlocks in the Appalachians.

 

 

Edited April 30, 2019 by RJ

[Nj Palms]

3 hours ago, RJ said:

The western and mountain hemlocks is immune to it. Not so with our eastern hemlock. 

https://chemjettreeinjector.com/woolly-adelgid/

 

 

Those grey skeletons are dead hemlocks in the Appalachians.

 

 

Wow.

[Laaz]

Chiggers & gnats thrive in the stuff.

[Manalto]

19 hours ago, Laaz said:

Chiggers & gnats thrive in the stuff.

 

A good reason not to use it for bedding, at least not unless you treat it first.

I think it's essential to and evocative of the South. Savannah is dripping with it, which adds a romantic character to an already-beautiful city. Mobile, on the other hand, has it only in small patches, scattered around town. I haven't been able to determine why. Instead, the branches of live oak are host to Resurrection Fern ( Pleopeltis polypodioides ), a remarkable but not nearly as attractive plant. Those areas in Mobile where Spanish moss thrives aren't particularly protected or free from pollutants (Tillandsia is reportedly sensitive to pollution.) The horticulturists at Mobile Botanical Garden are also stumped. God knows, it isn't deprived of heat and humidity. I inoculated my live oak with some back in January; we'll see how it does.

Good luck with your trial in NJ!

 

Edited May 1, 2019 by Manalto
clarity

[Nj Palms]

2 hours ago, Manalto said:

 

A good reason not to use it for bedding, at least not unless you treat it first.

I think it's essential to and evocative of the South. Savannah is dripping with it, which adds a romantic character to an already-beautiful city. Mobile, on the other hand, has it only in small patches, scattered around town. I haven't been able to determine why. Instead, the branches of live oak are host to Resurrection Fern ( Pleopeltis polypodioides ), a remarkable but not nearly as attractive plant. Those areas in Mobile where Spanish moss thrives aren't particularly protected or free from pollutants (Tillandsia is reportedly sensitive to pollution.) The horticulturists at Mobile Botanical Garden are also stumped. God knows, it isn't deprived of heat and humidity. I inoculated my live oak with some back in January; we'll see how it does.

Good luck with your trial in NJ!

 

Wind may keep blowing new seedlings or pieces of the trees before they get established. Either that or pollution are the only things I could think of.

[NC_Palms]

Spanish Moss is pretty hardy. I don't know how well it can survive in New Jersey, but they're native here where I've seen them take temperatures below 5ºF for quite some time without much (if any) damage.  I would imagine that Spanish moss is hardy to at least zone 7b. 

 

On 4/29/2019 at 6:08 PM, Nj Palms said:

 I have heard of people doing reverse zone pushing. Some try growing spruces and other temperate trees in South Texas and South Florida.

Last time I was in PA, I brought home some black spruce that I am attempting to reverse zone push here. Apparently this tree is only hardy to zone 6b, but it is one of my favorites. 

[palmsOrl]

On 4/29/2019 at 6:08 PM, Nj Palms said:

 I have heard of people doing reverse zone pushing. Some try growing spruces and other temperate trees in South Texas and South Florida.

I have done that in Orlando using a fridge.  Deciduous: Cut all leaves off and insert into refrigerator for three months.  Just keep soil evenly moist.  Evergreen Conifers:  Insert into fridge for 3 months and take out into sun every 2 weeks on a cool day.  Keep soil evenly moist.

The above actually works.

[palmsOrl]

On 4/29/2019 at 6:08 PM, Nj Palms said:

 I have heard of people doing reverse zone pushing. Some try growing spruces and other temperate trees in South Texas and South Florida.

Also, when I was at Green’s Nursery, I noticed that they have some healthy bloodgood Japanese maples.  This nursery is located just NW of Orlando.

I saw a healthy, large Japanese maple at a nursery in Gainesville and they are somewhat common in Tallahassee, Fl.

Edited May 2, 2019 by palmsOrl

[Jungle Jas.]

I do like the look of your Spanish moss, it would give the right garden a jungle feel.  I wonder if it will grow in the UK.

[Nj Palms]

2 hours ago, Jungle Jas. said:

I do like the look of your Spanish moss, it would give the right garden a jungle feel.  I wonder if it will grow in the UK.

Im sure you have the humidity and hardiness zone but the lack of heat may be a problem.

[Nj Palms]

4 hours ago, palmsOrl said:

Also, when I was at Green’s Nursery, I noticed that they have some healthy bloodgood Japanese maples.  This nursery is located just NW of Orlando.

I saw a healthy, large Japanese maple at a nursery in Gainesville and they are somewhat common in Tallahassee, Fl.

If youre interested I have some Red Maple cuttings on my ebay. Ry-485 I could even get you some small seedlings.  Any other temperate trees you are interested in I may have.

[Estlander]

While it’s native and grows in many locations around here, I didn’t have any in my yard, so I brought some and hung it on one of my scrub oaks. Love the look of that stuff on trees. 

[RJ]

1 hour ago, Nj Palms said:

If youre interested I have some Red Maple cuttings on my ebay. Ry-485 I could even get you some small seedlings.  Any other temperate trees you are interested in I may have.

Red maple? I loath Red maple, most invasive root system possible if you're a gardener.  They even invaded my potato buckets last year 

As a former Maple Syrup maker, sugar maple on the other hand 

[Chester B]

1 hour ago, RJ said:

Red maple? I loath Red maple, most invasive root system possible if you're a gardener. 

Completely agree.  They're causing major problems in my neighborhood because they are lifting all the sidewalks.  Probably 2/3 have been removed so far, I have two big ones I need to get rid of.

 

[Manalto]

On 5/1/2019 at 9:57 AM, Nj Palms said:

Wind may keep blowing new seedlings or pieces of the trees before they get established. Either that or pollution are the only things I could think of.

Wind? Ha! Unless there's a tropical storm, Mobile is oppressively stagnant in the summer; if you're not right on the bay, you're dead meat without a ceiling fan on your veranda. The only place I know that's worse is New Orleans. Spanish moss' random occurrence can't be explained by pollution either, but thanks for trying. It's a real head-scratcher. My live oak is an old, established specimen (85' wide) so I'd love to get some moss up into the higher branches. I made bolas out of ice cubes and twine with some tillandsia tied to it but need a better means of propulsion (slingshot?) to get it high up in the tree.

Edited May 2, 2019 by Manalto
spelling

[PalmTreeDude]

1 hour ago, Manalto said:

Wind? Ha! Unless there's a tropical storm, Mobile is oppressively stagnant in the summer; if you're not right on the bay, you're dead meat without a ceiling fan on your veranda. The only place I know that's worse is New Orleans. Spanish moss' random occurrence can't be explained by pollution either, but thanks for trying. It's a real head-scratcher. My live oak is an old, established specimen (85' wide) so I'd love to get some moss up into the higher branches. I made bolas out of ice cubes and twine with some tillandsia tied to it but need a better means of propulsion (slingshot?) to get it high up in the tree.

Get a crap load of Spanish Moss, separate it into thick strands, spray water on it, and throw it up as hard as you can. You can get it waaaaay up there like this. 

Edited May 2, 2019 by PalmTreeDude

[RJ]

5 hours ago, Chester B said:

Completely agree.  They're causing major problems in my neighborhood because they are lifting all the sidewalks.  Probably 2/3 have been removed so far, I have two big ones I need to get rid of.

 

I've always wanted to try your PNW Big Leaf Maple. Pretty cool tree I might add. 

You can tap them for Syrup as well I hear, lower sugar content though. 

[Manalto]

4 hours ago, PalmTreeDude said:

Get a crap load of Spanish Moss, separate it into thick strands, spray water on it, and throw it up as hard as you can. You can get it waaaaay up there like this. 

OK, Mr. Koufax, you're welcome to come by and give it a try.

[PalmTreeDude]

1 hour ago, Manalto said:

OK, Mr. Koufax, you're welcome to come by and give it a try.

Yeah you may need a bit more than a throw. That Live Oak is beautiful by the way! 

Edited May 3, 2019 by PalmTreeDude

[Silas_Sancona]

5 hours ago, RJ said:

I've always wanted to try your PNW Big Leaf Maple. Pretty cool tree I might add. 

You can tap them for Syrup as well I hear, lower sugar content though. 

You should.. I'd suspect Big Leaf Maple would stand a decent chance back east.. Species itself grows down the entire length of the west coast to about Orange / San Diego County. While usually found near streams, it does handle some summer drought once established, as well as some degree of summer heat ( where it grows at lower elevations in Central / S. California )   That said, best looking trees i'd encounter while hiking in the Mountains between San Jose and Santa Cruz were higher up on slopes that faced the coast and are more exposed to fog.

A little different but California Black Oak, Quercus kelloggii is another west coast native worth trialing back there also.  Can't remember where i'd seen it but read about someone trialing various west coast / CA native oaks either in Virginia or one of the Carolinas and having pretty good success w/ them. Might have been someone associated w/ Woodlanders' Nursery.

[bubba]

This thread is funny! Why would would anyone be happy about zone pushing a noxious pest like “Spanish Moss”.  Analogous to trying to push Brazilian Pepper into Georgia. 

I do not disagree that it looks stately on a Live Oak from a distance. Climb that tree, pull down the moss and you will look like you have a bad case of the measles and a very itchy case...