Ball Moss Doesn’t Get The Respect It Deserves Among Epiphytes

It’s a very curious thing indeed. While people love the sight of Spanish moss hanging off trees as an idyllic image of the South, the same does not hold true, however, for Ball moss.

Spanish moss and Ball moss are both epiphytes, not true moss, and are often commonly referred to as “air plants.” Both are members of the same plant family (Bromliacea), and grow in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the Americas, often on Live oaks and Bald cypresses, and have similar looking green and silver tendrils. Neither is a parasite to its host tree, but lives harmlessly off the water and nutrients in the air. Spanish moss hangs from the tree like a long beard, while Ball moss looks like, well, a ball. But, while the Spanish moss is revered, the Ball moss is reviled, and there is no justifiable reason why.

Despite the fact that they are very nearly the same except for their shape, how certain people view these two remarkable plants could not be more different. While some people use the words “romantic,” “beautiful,” “charming,” and “picturesque” to describe Spanish moss, they have no such words to describe Ball moss. Additionally, while some people pay to purchase Spanish moss for decorative purposes, other people pay to have Ball moss removed from their trees. There is neither rhyme nor reason for the different reaction to these plants, but a different reaction there certainly is.

Here in the hill country of Texas, Ball moss hanging off Live oak trees is more common than beef brisket at a Texas barbeque. And while some hill country folk, for whatever reason, get their dander up, and go to extreme measures to get these harmless plants out of their trees, the great majority of us recognize Ball moss is a natural part of nature out here.

I like the Ball moss which hangs in abundance on my Live oak trees. In my mind, Ball moss should get the same respect among epiphytes as Spanish moss. And, while I have never had any problem with the Ball moss itself, I’ve had to repeatedly explain to visitors from up north that the “balls” in my trees were not bird nests.

Intimidating Horns and Antlers In The Hill Country

The Texas Hill Country is a beautiful place, and there are a lot of animals running around it with some rather intimidating looking horns and antlers on their heads. Given to self preservation, I always keep my distance.

The Texas Longhorn is probably the best known of these creatures. Brought over to North America from the Andalusia region of Spain five centuries ago, the Texas Longhorn is a very smart, and adaptable animal, which is capable of surviving on very little water, cactus, and brush. It was the animal that became part of the legend and lore of the "Old West" in the late 1800's, during the cattle drives up the famous Chisholm Trail. And, these magnificent animals are found on hill country ranches in abundance.

Texas white-tailed deer are smaller than deer in many other parts of the country, but the bucks still sport an impressive rack of antlers. These deer, like the Texas Longhorn, are a common sight across the breadth and depth of the Texas Hill Country all year long. They typically feed on grass, shrubs, leaves and fruit. And, the bucks festooned with their antlers, look a little menacing, especially during the rut.

And while white-tailed deer walk around my house like they own it, the day I see Texas Longhorns walking up my driveway, is the day the “For Sale” sign goes up.