William CrowExtension Plant PathologistThe Texas A&M University System

Ball moss commonly grows on trees andutility wires. It is not a true moss; it’srelated to pineapple and ornamental

bromeliads.

Ball moss is closely related to Spanish moss,but ball moss has a roundish “ball” shape andSpanish moss tends to hang down like an “oldman’s beard.”

Ball moss (Tillandsia recurvata) is an epi-phyte, which means that it grows on otherplants but does not take nutrients from them.The “hold fasts” or “pseudo roots” of ball mossanchor it to the surface on which it grows.Unlike true roots, the false roots do not takeup water and nutrients. The leaves and stemsof ball moss, like those of other bromeliads,absorb water and nutrients from the air. Thischaracteristic has earned bromeliads thenickname of “air plants.”

Ball moss grows well in areas with low lightintensity, low air movement, and high relativehumidity. Such conditions are found under thecanopy of many shade trees. Trees tend togrow most of their foliage at the ends of limbswhile the interior of the canopy is bare. Thismakes the large interior limbs of live oaks andother large trees the ideal habitat for ballmoss.

The native range of ball moss includessouthern Texas, but the moss is movedthroughout the state on transplanted trees. Aseries of mild winters, such as occurredduring the late 1990s, helped these trans-planted populations of ball moss becomeestablished and expanded the range of ballmoss to new areas. Local spread of ball mossoccurs by windblown seed.

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Homeowners do not need to become con-cerned at seeing prolific growth of ball mosson a declining tree. Ball moss is not “killing”the tree. Ball moss is not a parasite and itdoes not take nutrients from the tree on whichit is growing.

Some experts believe that heavy infestationsof ball moss could cause shading of lowerlimbs, increased limb breakage from addedweight, or reduced production of new shoots.These are areas of minor concern.

The most significant effects of ball moss onlandscape trees are cosmetic. Somehomeowners prefer to have ball moss andconsider it as adding “character” to the tree.Other homeowners believe ball moss detractsfrom the tree’s natural beauty. The decisionto control ball moss depends on thehomeowner’s personal taste and whether ornot control warrants the effort and expense.

One way to manage ball moss is by me-chanical removal. This can be done manuallyor with a high-pressure water spray. Useappropriate safety precautions if manual

removal is used. If high-pressure water isused, hot water is not recommended becauseit can damage the tree.

Copper-containing fungicides can kill ballmoss. Kocide® 101, 4.5LF, DF, and 2000 arecopper-containing fungicides currently labeledfor ball moss management on live oak and, inmost cases, pecan trees. Fungicide should beapplied in the spring (March and April) whenball moss is actively growing, and all labelinstructions must be followed carefully. Eventhough the ball moss may be killed, it will notimmediately drop off the tree. It will fall offslowly over the course of the year.

If a copper-containing fungicide is used,drift can be a problem that increases with thesize of the trees being treated. Kocide® may beinjurious to ornamentals grown underneaththe sprayed trees, and the product may reactwith metal surfaces such as automobiles, lawnfurniture and metal roofing. Copper fungi-cides will leave a blue stain on surfaces theycontact, so use care when spraying nearbuildings or other surfaces.

Educational programs of the Texas Agricultural Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age or