Ball Moss (Tillandsia recurvata)
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Not a true moss at all, ball moss is actually an epiphyte, a plant that lives on branches without drawing nutrients from them. Many species of Tillandsia have showy flowers but they are all restricted to tropical areas. Ball moss is not much to look at and the flowers are small and white. The numerous gray plants cling to inner branches and, while they don't directly harm a tree, they can add weight to older limbs that might then break when heavy rains saturate the foliage. Removal of infestations of ball moss can be difficult, so the plants are usually better left alone.
class: Liliopsida / order: Bromeliales / family: Bromeliaceae / genus: Tillandsia / species: recurvata
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