Moss Mystique

Moss Mystique

Spanish moss -- the silky, snakelike garlands that drape over the branches of live oaks -- has come to symbolize the languorous sensibilities of the Deep South. A relative of the pineapple, the moisture-loving plant requires an average year-round humidity of 70%, and thus thrives in subtropical climates -- including Georgia's coastal regions.

Contrary to popular belief, Spanish moss is not a parasite; it's an epiphyte, or "air plant," taking water and nutrients from the air and photosynthesizing in the same manner as soil-bound plants. It reproduces using tiny flowers. When water is scarce, it turns gray, and when the rains come it takes on a greenish hue. The old saying "Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite," is thought to come from the past practice of stuffing mattresses with Spanish moss, which often harbored the biting menaces commonly known as chiggers.