Donk and other Northerners. A mossy question

[Jeff]

Have you ever seen anything in the northwoods that looks and hangs in the trees like spanish moss but is a pale green?  I found some up north of Chets. I have pictures later.

[Bro. Noble]

I don't know what grows up north,  but mistletoe looks like you are describing.  Dodder also gets up in trees sometimes,  but it is yellow/tan/white looking.

[Jeff]

I left this one big to see the fine detail.

[Minnesota_boy]

Got that stuff all over in the swamps up this way.  Never thought about what it was exactly, just accepted that it was always in the swamps.

[Jeff]

Here is a bit that I could reach, that kinda tried up as of tonight. The trees were hanging thick with it.

[sprucebunny]

I see it growing (mostly) in old spruce trees. It can get so it looks almost like Spanish Moss.
Suspect it's actually a kind of lichen.
Looks like you hit the motherlode there, Jeff ;D

[Kevin]

Old Mans Beard

(Usnea hirta)

[SwampDonkey]

As kevin says, old man's beard. The woodland caribou and white tails eat it up this way. Anyone cutting spruce and fir with that stuff in the tops is gonna have deer coming in herds in these parts. That's a component of the deer wintering areas up here. Food food food. It's a lichen as spruce bunny says, which is actually blue green algae (or some types of cyanobacteria) and fungi which rely on one another to thrive. Its usually a humid moist woods with it also. It doesn't affect/infect the trees. More common in old growth fir or fir in cedar/red maple swamps which are slower growing.

N.B. cyanobacteria - cyan is a blue-green color ;)

[Jeff]

Does it have any uses other then for deer? Herbal? Medicinal?

[Kevin]

yes.

[SwampDonkey]

Another species is Usnea barbata

Active Compounds:

Usnic acid gives usnea its bitter taste and also acts as an antibiotic. Usnea also contains mucilage, which can be helpful in easing irritating coughs. Preliminary test-tube studies suggested an anticancer activity for usnic acid; however, this effect has not been sufficient to warrant further investigation.

Remedies For:

Useful for the treatment of:

    Common Cold/Sore Throat
    Cough
    Infection

Dosage:

Usnea, in capsule form, can be taken in the amount of 100 mg of the lichen three times per day.

Tincture can be taken in the amount of 3–4 ml three times per day.

Safety:

There are no known side effects of usnea, and it has not been reported to interfere with the action of common medications. It is considered safe for use in children.

Some herbs are known to react with your medication. Please consult your physician before starting on any herb.

Taken from Here

[Mark M]

I think I saw summa dat stuff growing on DanG's face. :D