Tillandsia usneoides - Spanish Moss - 70–90cm
Tillandsia usneoides, otherwise known as Spanish moss, is the finishing touch that makes a collection feel like a little world of its own. Fine silver-green strands, a loose cascading shape and that beautifully wild, slightly enchanted look. I could happily spend far too long arranging this around a jungle display.
It's native to the Americas and belongs to the bromeliad family. Despite the name, this is a flowering air plant, with tiny blooms that are easy to miss among the strands. The foliage gets all the attention, but there is a whole plant quietly getting on with life in there.
The silvery surface comes from specialised scales that help absorb moisture. That's what allows Spanish moss to hang freely without a pot of soil. It needs light, water and airflow, just in a rather different arrangement from the plants sitting beneath it.
I would hang this selection where the strands can move and catch the light, adding softness between more structured leaves. One flowing portion to adopt, with plenty of atmosphere built in.
Your jungle has the big leaves. Now give it a little mystery between them.
