Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Spanish Moss-ABC WEDNESDAY "M"


Colonial Park Cemetery has many trees loaded with Spanish moss.  To a Midwesterner it's a very unusual sight.


In the southeastern United States, the following tale is told:
As the story goes; there was once a traveler who came with his Spanish fiancée in the 1700s to start a plantation near the city of Charleston SC. She was a beautiful bride-to-be with long flowing raven hair. As the couple was walking over the plantation sight[sic] near the forest, and making plans for their future, they were suddenly attacked by a band of Cherokee who were not happy to share the land of their forefathers with strangers. As a final warning to stay away from the Cherokee nation, they cut off the long dark hair of the bride-to-be and threw it up in an old live oak tree. As the people came back day after day and week after week, they began to notice the hair had shriveled and turned grey and had begun spreading from tree to tree. Over the years the moss spread from South Carolina to Georgia and Florida. (Credit: Wiki)


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19 comments:

  1. That almost looks like my beard :-)
    Very interesting story.

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  2. And all the way to south Texas!
    Thanks for your research...that is a tale worth sharing!

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  3. Looks like home! Funny story! Some people think Spanish Moss is romantic. In reality, it's the pits! Ugh! And sticky and itchy and it gets all over everything!

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  4. Wonderful Folklore Story! Seems the Spanish Moss is always a highlight from a visit to the South. Nice Pics!

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  5. It makes me think of Anne Rice's books.

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  6. pretty cool folklore!

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  7. I'd heard that tale. Fascinating!

    ROG, ABC Wednesday team

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  8. I've seen a lot of those in Animal Kingdom, Disney World.

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  9. Ah Louisiana too! Love, it's so beautiful!

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  10. That is an interesting story. I always wondered if it was detrimental to the host tree.

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  11. That is a legend I had never heard before. This is very strange looking to me too.

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  12. It is a strange looking plant no wonder there is a legend about it.
    Joy - ABC Team

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  13. I have seen it, but didn't realize it was moss! Thanks for telling about the legend:)

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  14. Anonymous6:14 PM

    lovely tree, interesting story

    messy little girl

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  15. Anonymous1:41 AM

    Good story -- fun "M"

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  16. Beautiful! Love driving south when we can so we get to enjoy these views. Great M. Blessings, Debbie

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  17. I love Spanish Moss. What a great story!

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