TREE SERVICE SAN ANTONIO

What Is Ball Moss and Is It Bad?

Is the Ball Moss on trees a bad thing? Well, let’s have a look into what ball moss is and what it isn’t. This odd little tangled mess of plant is from the Bromeliad family, which also includes Spanish Moss and believe it or not, the Pineapple plant. It is native of Southern Texas but managed to spread throughout the entire state due to tree transplants. It turns out that ball moss isn’t moss at all, but it’s actually an air plant, complete with flowers and seeds. Ball moss spreads to new locations both through wind-dispersed seeds and by dropping its seeds along its host as it grows. Ball moss grows on both healthy and stress trees. Ball moss on oak trees is most common, however, it will grow on fences, electrical wires, and any other trees that have rough bark. A heavy colony of ball moss could break small twigs and limbs of the tree if left to populate for a long period of time. When the seed lands on its larger host’s surface it will quickly stick to it by growing a pseudo root system that is not for nutrients rather these pseudo roots are for gripping only. This plant uses nitrogen in the air as its only source of nutrients other than water and filtered sunlight. Since the moss is not taking anything from the tree, it is not a parasite like the other plants that are fed by the host tree. So, in and of itself the plant will not harm your tree but if it becomes too dense it could block the sunlight and slow your tree’s growth. Ball moss will most likely be found on weak or dead trees, usually because a sick tree has less dense foliage, and the less foliage, the more room the ball moss has to propagate. So really, it is just a matter of convenience that ball moss favors growth on weak or dead trees.

When ball moss removal is necessary, it can be done by cutting or knocking the plant off the host structure. Once the plant has died it’s much easier to remove but don’t hold your breath because this little plant lives up to 10 years, all the while spreading its tiny seeds to and fro season after season. It can become a real nuisance if left to its natural behavior for too long. Demossing should be done regularly if you’re very concerned about these plants crowding in your tree.

Tree moss removal can be difficult without the proper tools and experience and really wouldn’t be a good DIY project to try on your own. Calling on a professional tree service is probably the best idea to take care of your ball moss issues. Tree Service in San Antonio  has removed more ball moss than we can count, so give us a call today and let’s get this problem resolved. Because Nobody Knows Trees Better Than A Tree Service in San Antonio!