Q: A neighbor says that Spanish moss does not kill trees. However, I removed moss from my tree in back because everywhere on the tree that moss was concentrated, it had killed the branches. Further, there was no foliage. It seems to me that it definitely kills trees. But what say you? -- Thanks, Tom

A: There's no scene like a street shaded by large trees dripping with Spanish moss to tell you that you're in the South. Beautiful.

Botanists do say that Spanish moss and other air plants (epiphytes) don't take any nutrients from trees but just use trees for support. (Air plants may also grow on bushes and other things.)

But leaves that aren't able to receive sunlight stop making food (photosynthesis) and die. Dust, dirt -- and, I suppose, air plants like Spanish moss -- may cut down on the sunlight that reaches leaves. If Spanish moss is thick enough over leaves, it seems to make sense that this could happen.

Whether or not this would kill a whole branch, you'd have to ask an arborist. Branches die even when no Spanish moss is around. Many people prune away dead wood from their trees in the fall.

As long as a tree's leaves are receiving sunlight over most of the tree, allowing some Spanish moss is fine. If your tree is dying yet wasn't completely covered by the moss, it could be affected by a disease, poor soil quality or any number of other problems. Hopefully, Tom, your tree will improve no matter what the case may be.

Read the current Q&A

Do you have a question? Contact the editor.