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BALL MOSS |
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Ball moss (Tillandsia recurvata) is a
small, nondescript plant commonly found in
southwest Texas. It is not a moss, but a
true plant with flowers and seeds. It is a
member of the bromeliad family, so it is
related to the pineapple. Like many other
bromeliads, these plants are epiphytes or
"air plants". Epiphytes attach themselves to
limbs, tree trunks, power lines fences and
other structures with their pseudo-roots.
These are not true roots because they do not
absorb water and nutrients. They merely
attach the plant to the aerial structure and
do not absorb water and minerals from their
host structure.
Ball moss it is not a parasite. |
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Ball
moss survives by absorbing water and
nutrients from the surrounding
atmosphere through its leaves and stems,
which have scales, known as trichomes
and help the plant to capture and
conserve water and are critical to their
survival in most climates. Consequently,
ball moss prefers sites with little air
movement, high relative humidity and
filtered sun light. Ball moss benefits
the environment by "fixing" atmospheric
nitrogen and adding it to the soil, much
like alfalfa and clover.
Live oaks develop a crown which is very
thick on the exterior but quite open in
the interior. These interior branches
die partly due to the ball moss which
competes for sun light and the natural
low light environment. Ball moss has not
been studied intensively and evidence of
all it's ecological significance is
lacking. Concerns have been raised about
the negative effects on many forests and
urban trees. There is no doubt that
heavily laden branches do shade lower
vegetation and intercept light needed
for photosynthesis. Infestations can
become so intense and the competition
for sun light so great , that ball moss
can literally smother and weaken the
tree, and death will ultimately reign.
Also, branch breakage does occur with
heavy infestations and this can open the
way for secondary infections by oak wilt
fungi or insects.
Ball Moss is a
perfect plant, producing a flower and
seeds. The seeds are much like that of a
dandelion a parachute seed. The small
seeds are produced in a capsule on a
slender 3-5 inch stalk. the stalks
extend above the bushy plant growth.
When mature, the capsule burst open
releasing the tiny parachute seeds that
drift on the slightest movement of air.
The tiny seeds
will attach securely to the rough bark
of the tree and germinate immediately.
As the plant grows, root like structures
( pseudo-roots
or false roots ) attach the
young plant to the rough surface.
Another term, for the small roots is
' hold fast '
. Excessive infestation is a
serious concern of property owners about
their shade trees.
 Management
There are three methods for
control of ball moss. If it doesn't
bother you and it does not endanger the
health of the tree, leave it. Mechanical
or hand removal is the best method of
control. This should be considered when
infestations are quite intense and the
tree's health is at risk. Most arborist
can remove from 70 to 90%, which is
labor intensive and costly. This should
be integrated and considered as part of
the normal trimming and pruning
maintenance program, thinning the canopy
which should last for approximately five
years. This pruning regime is consistent
with proper tree maintenance; however a
word of caution due to oak wilt: prune
during the hottest or coldest times of
the year and paint all wounds. If the
remaining ball moss is a problem, then
chemical control should be considered.
Ball moss can be sprayed with baking
soda, Kocide 2000 or other copper-based
herbicides and fungicides, which are
labeled for control of ball moss. The
recommended time of year to spray either
mixtures is from January through to leaf
fall in late March when the canopy is
usually thinner. Kocide 2000 is labeled
for year around application at the rate
of 6 lbs per 100 gallons, and baking
soda, though not labeled, can also be
applied at a rate of 50 Lbs per 100
gallons. It is best and safest to apply
if ranch animals are present as they
will eat any moss that fall to the
ground. In both cases it is best to add
about a pint of spreader, surfactant or
sticker per 100 gallons. For the best
results, apply immediately after a rain
or in cool weather. The Ball moss will
start to discolor and will begin to
droop in 8 to 10 days, but it will not
fall off for two or three years. Be sure
not to spray your Live Oak trees in
April, as baking soda will burn the new
tender leaves. Do not apply Kocide in
April as it will cause serious damage to
the new tender leaves. You can resume
spraying with Kocide for the first two
weeks in May.
A rain following trreatment is necessary
to provide maximum effectiveness. It is
speculated that the moss quickly takes
in nutrients through its leaf like
strucktures following rain or a heavy
dew.
Scenic Hills Nursery
recommends the following methods
for control of ball moss:
mechanical removal first, as
part of your regular pruning
maintenance program, then
chemical spraying. There is a
very important eco-system under
every tree. It is like a thick
piece of bread, with micro and
macro capillaries, which hold
the necessary gases, moisture
and nutrients for the health and
growth of the tree. Ninety-five
percent of all tree roots are
within 12" to 16" from the
surface and attached to these
roots is a fungi called
mycorrhizae or root fungus. This
root fungus, absorbs, dissolves
and feeds the tree, and in turn
the tree feeds the fungi with
sugar and starch. If this micro
eco-system becomes damaged or
compacted, gases, nutrients and
moisture become unavailable and
then the tree can be in serious
trouble. |
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Baking soda is toxic to fungi as
well as the heavy copper
ion-based herbicides and
fungicides. Excessive amounts of
fungicides can damage or destroy
the natural fungi and microbes
in the soil. When spraying is
necessary as part of the control
and in conjunction with pruning,
the result will be less chemical
and least possible damage to the
tree's eco-system. Remember,
neither
pruning nor spraying will remove
all the ball moss from the trees;
however they will certainly
benefit the trees and make you
feel better. |
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Tree is being smothered
by intensity of BALL
MOSS |
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Contact: Tel:
830.257.8871 - Toll Free: 1.800.OAK.WILT (800-625-9458)
Cell: 830.459.8216 Toll Free: 1.866.OAK.WILT
(866.625.9458)
Jim Rediker - Nurseryman - Arborist - TDA Certified
SCENIC HILLS
NURSERY
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Toll Free: 1.800.OAK.WILT |
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