introduced species

[15_the_circle]

for a while I was occasionally traveling to SE Georgia on business.  one of those things I'd always meant to do, without ever getting around to it, was to bring back some Spanish moss to see how it would do in the space under the high ceiling over the tub.  orchids and other epiphytes have done well there in the past, and for a couple of years now a Platycerium (staghorn fern) has been hanging on the wall quite happily.  periodic humidity from shower use and indirect light from the skylight is all it needs. 

(click through these thumbnails for higher resolution images)

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last weekend presented an opportunity to collect a couple of windfall specimens from the grounds of the old A.C.L. depot in Folkston GA and today I finally got around to giving them  a habitat  somewhere to hang out. 
 

Tillandsia usneoides

I'm hoping they weren't harmed by having spent a few days in a zip seal plastic bag.  it's not clear how long they had been on the ground, they couldn't have liked that either.  with any luck, though, they will recover from the indignities and settle in. 

the staghorn and spider plant winter over in the bathroom but summer out on the porch.  it might not be feasible for the Spanish moss to do likewise. 

Comments

Spanish moss

[(Anonymous)]

Oh, great. One more plant to shower with!

re: Oh, great. One more plant to shower with!

[15-the-circle.livejournal.com]

it's higher up than the platycerium so overhead clearance shouldn't be a problem. 

[margravine.livejournal.com]

You might want to keep an eye on it for little bitey crawlies. Spanish moss on the ground often has chiggers in it.

All this spanish moss talk makes me miss Savannah like crazy. It's just so relaxing and all around gorgeous. If I didn't live someplace as attractive as Tabor I don't know how I'd ever manage to leave Savannah city limits withit weeping.

[15-the-circle.livejournal.com]

with that in mind I went over it   v e r y   carefully while decanting from bag to branches.  T. usneoides is known to harbour several classes of insect, some of which are symbiotes whose contribution is an aggressive defence. 
 
so far, so good. 

 
Savannah is a wonderful place indeed.  it is not without issues -- no place is -- but the Grove, like Mt. Tabor for you, has already claimed my heart.