If you’ve driven through much of North Texas, you may have seen more moss than you realize. In fact, if you have a live oak on your lawn, you’ve probably looked right at it.

In this article, Lawn Connections looks at common types of moss in North Texas.

Ball Moss

Ball moss usually grows as a non-parasitic plant living on other plants. This is similar to other plants like orchids, ferns, and lichens. In the North Texas area, ball moss tends to favor the shaded parts, like lower and interior limbs of live oaks. It lives by absorbing water and nutrients from the atmosphere.

Mistletoe

Mistletoe is a parasitic plant found on a wide range of trees, including…

Alder
Birch
Cottonwood
Maple
Oak
Zelkova

The mistletoe grows slowly at first. Healthy trees are able to handle small mistletoe infestations, but individual branches may have some issues or even have to be removed. Heavy infestations could hinder the health of the tree or kill a tree in the right circumstances.

Spanish Moss

Spanish moss is relatively harmless to trees. However, if aggressive growth occurs, it may be necessary to remove some of the moss along the overcrowded branches. Spanish moss is found mainly on hardwoods, and some of our clients find it striking in the right setting. The Spanish moss’ water-catching ability allows it to be drought-resistant and survive extreme dry spells.

Lichens

You can find lichens on rocks, tortoise shells, window panes, and many plants. The presence of lichens is often a sign of poor health in the host plant, but it is not the cause of the health issue. Lichens are harmless to plants and, if overall tree health is improved, the canopy of branches should prevent any sunlight from furthering the growth of lichens.

Call Lawn Connections

Call Lawn Connections today to have us look at your North Texas lawn. We’ll be happy to answer your moss-related questions or help you come up with a plan for addressing the health of your trees. Call us at (817) 769-6950.