Enduring Epiphytes Exposed? Or Further Florida Flora

There are many more epiphytes than most of us non-botanists are aware. I've done a little more studying on these plants, which comprise roughly ten percent of all plant species. So if you are bored with this subject, feel free to skip my column this week. It won't offend me since I don't know who reads my offerings unless you personally tell me.

As a quick review, I'll remind you that epiphytes are "air plants". They use other plants as a support, but acquire their moisture from the air around them and filter nutrients from rotting vegetation near them. They reproduce via fluffy seeds that are blown through the air. Think dandelions. These seeds settle in cracks and crevasses in tree bark (or other suitable growing surfaces) to sprout and grow. Their leaves are designed to catch rain as well as those other nutrients they need. 

Some people think air plants purposely kill their hosts. Sometimes they do, but not by design. They can become so large or numerous they'll cut off the sunlight the host needs for photo-synthesis. Sometimes they'll colonize on an already dying tree or branch simply because they can get more sunlight for themselves in that location. That tree or branch continues dying, eventually collapsing. It might look like the over-populated epiphytes caused that collapse because of the weight, but usually the air plants are not heavy at all, despite their bulk. That tree or branch was going to eventually fall anyway. 

Epiphytes are found in many plant groups: aroids (philodendrons - had to look that up), begonias, bromiliads, heaths, nightshades, orchids, ferns, and true mosses. The most common one found on Florida is Spanish moss, which is actually a part of the bromeliad family and is not a moss at all.

Ball moss is a member of the Tillandsia group, which are bromeliads, and have endured on this planet for thousands of years. They mostly grow in tropical and subtropical climes. Others that are common to Florida include the Cardinal Airplant, which has an upright, keel-like growth pattern. The Giant Airplant is the largest one in Florida, and is similar to the Cardinal, but without the keel- like patten. Relaxed Wild Pine has leaves that are sheaths and form a bulbous structure. Southern Needleleaf grows south of Orlando and has grayish flower bracts. The last in this Tillandsia group is Spanish Moss, with which most of us are familiar. It has fragrant emerald- green flowers which are usually overlooked. 

I've collected several specimens of ball moss, which is extremely common in Florida. It likes bright sun, has a "clumping" habit, is grayish, with purple petals. The ones I've collected had fallen or were blown from the trunks of the pines lining the sidewalks here. Some epiphytes are endangered and protected, but ball moss is not. (I checked before collecting any.) They can be grown on driftwood or slabs of bark fiber. I hope they'll survive in my home. 

(Last week I used the word Fauna in my title. It should have been Flora. Oops. My apologies. It won't happen again - I hope. I could blame my proofreader, but I proofread my own stuff, so...)