Tillandsia recurvata
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| Tillandsia recurvata |
Ball moss, Tillandsia recurvata, is an epiphyte. It grows well in areas with low light, little airflow, and high humidity, which is commonly provided by southern shade trees, often the Southern live oak (Crow 2000). Ball mosses are circular photosynthesizers ranging in size from a golf ball to a soccer ball. It is not a parasite like mistletoe. Ball mosses derive only physical support and not nutrition from their host, receiving water vapor from the air (Crow 2000) and nitrogen from bacteria (Puente 1994). Local spread of ball moss occurs by windblown seed (Crow 2000). Ball moss can be found in the southern United States, from Florida to Arizona, and south to Argentina and Chile (Correll 1970). Ball moss is sensitive to freezing, particularly when moist (Hagar 1990). Although ball moss can hinder tree growth, it usually does not affect healthy specimens (Crow 2000). Ball moss is closely related to Spanish Moss, Tillandsia usneoides.
Ball moss is typically removed by hand, with a high-pressure water spray, or with a fungicide that contains copper (Crow 2000). When collected, it can be used as animal fodder.[citation needed]
In the Mesoamerican region, the proliferation of ball moss has become a serious problem, killing native trees by the thousands of hectares.[citation needed] Mesquite, the native Acacias, are experiencing sudden-tree-death syndrome from the overwhelming populations of Tillandsia recurvata on their branches.[citation needed]
The brittle environment of high-altitude and low humidity biomes encountered in the southern Altiplano of Mexico have created a vulnerable breeding ground for this invasive species which is killing existing trees along with the aggressive sapsucking mistletoes encroaching from the South, Phoradendrum robustissimum.[citation needed]
[edit] References
* Correll, Donovan Stewart and Johnston, Marshall Conring. (1970). Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas. Renner, Texas: Texas Research Foundation. Page 356.
* Crow, William T. (2000). "Ball Moss". The Texas Agricultural Extension Service. L-5353. Accessed 4 May 2008. <http://agrilifebookstore.org/tmppdfs/viewpdf_1206.pdf>
* Hagar, C. F. (1990). "The effect of water content, cooling rate, and growth temperature on the freezing temperature of 4 Tillandsia species." M.S. Thesis. Texas A&M University.
* Puente, Maria-Esther and Bashan, Yoav. (1994). "The desert epiphyte Tillandsia recurvata harbours the nitrogen-fixing bacterium Pseudomonas stutzeri." Canadian Journal of Botany. Volume 72, Number 3. March 1994. Pages 406-408.
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