Michael Muthersbaugh, age 11 , of Pare , Conn., for is question:

Where does Spanish moss grow?

Spanish moss is a native of the New World. It is at homy in tropical and subtropical woodlands. The people of our Southland take it for granted because it is common. But visitors from the North are always astonished to see those long green‑gray festoons dripping from the ancient trees. They think, surely this trailing foliage is a parasite sapping the strength of its host and this poor old tree has not long to live.

This is not true at all. The Spanish moss uses a tree only as a step ladder. It needs to be high in the air where it can get a fair share of moisture and sunlight. Under the microscope we see that its trailing hair is covered with fire scales. Spanish moss has no roots and it gets the moisture it needs from the air. The scales provide tiny pockets to trap and hold this moisture.

Spanish moss does not come from Spain, nor is a moss. Strange to say, it is a rather helpless distant cousin of the pineapple plant.