I want to make a southern theme layout, but not sure on how to make trees with Spanish Moss
hanging of them. Does anybody know how to go about doing that?
Thanks in advance…you guys are helping me with your collective knowledge.
Go to AC Moores or Michaels and see if they carry fake spanish moss that you can cut and trim down to size to fit in your trees.
Don;t try using real spanish moss as it will dry out and become brittle and fall apart.
{my mother once collected some in FL to use in/on a floral hanging thingy and that’s how I know It will dryout, crumble and deteriorate}
How could that even be remotely helpful?
Spanish moss in HO scale is best represented by some Woodland scenics Poly-fiber painted with an airbrush in a suitable greygreen color.
The only way I could see scaling down the moss would be to use WS poly fiber and possibly minute chunks of ground foam lightly spraying with pump hair spray the feathered out pulled polyfiber and sprinkling w/ fine grasses may also work. I have never simulated any spanish moss, but trying to help from knowing the scenery products and what may work for you.
A note as to the Spanish moss, this stuff is loaded with critters and other parasites. I was never allowed to even handle it as a kid due to this. You never know what could be hiding in this stuff.
Not only will it dry out, you’ll have chiggers galore in your home/layout room. You’ll be SCRATCHING like a HOUND for weeks. Trust me, this I know!
Well actually more helpful then you know but being as you don’t have any AC Morre’s in Sweden then how would you know it was not helpful in the first place is my question? The stuff they sell comes in a bag and is called “Super Moss” and comes in several different grades, types and colors. I have viewed an layout depicting the deep south and thats exactly how the builder made his trees. He pulled off small pieces of the stuff and basically just spray glued them to some of his home made trees having those long weeping Spanish Moss trees. If you really want to see a layout and correspond with an authority on all things concerning Southern model railroading go check out Cliff Power’s MA&G layout. Cliff is The man when it comes to making the deep south come alive on a model railroad. a link to the MA&G is at the bottom of the page.Hope this helps and good luck with your railroad it will most definitely be different.
http://www.supermoss.com/SuperMoss.html
Well I´m with you so far, but it can´t be a scale rendition of Spanish moss in HO scale, or can it
Yes, actually you can just keep pulling that stuff apart same as you can do with poly fiber stuff. I am not getting to get out the digital calipers or micrometers any time soon to check but yes I owuld say you should be able to make very nice 1:87 scale tree’s using it.
They are not trees one would find in the area in which I model but knowing several people who do model the deep south and having spent years stationed there while in the military I know those tree all too well and I have to say both guys nailed em beautifully.
I believe we are talking about two different things here, you refer to using the moss to make trees, while the Spanish moss in real life is an epiphyt that hangs free on various structures as can be seen in this pic:
That is why I said that I couldn´t understand the use of real moss to make it in model.
As for refering to the Magnolia Route, I looked on the pics (as I have made many times before) and I can´t see some Spanish moss on them as far as I know.
As I said, Spanish moss is not a tree.
But there is many good looking examples of trees on the M-R.
I know what your referring to but honestly can say weather thats Spanish moss or not. I believe it may be some other variety of moss, Moss hanging from tree’s is a common site in most of the deep south. I didn’t think Cliff had any Spanish moss or not but if you ever have a question on southern railroad modeling he is most definitely the man to ask. If you read what I copied and pasted below Spanish Moss actually grows on oak as well as other variety of trees and is independent of the tree it self. If one can pull it off I think it would make a great visual effect on a model railroad.
Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) is one of the signature plants of the Deep South. It is an epiphyte, meaning that it uses trees for support, but doesn’t draw moisture or nutrients from them, although rainwater running down the bark may supply it with both. You generally see it most often along the coast, because it needs high humidity and mild winter temperatures to survive. Why do you see it certain trees and not others? It tends to favor:
• Trees that have lots of large, well-spaced branches
• Trees whose branches are more horizontal than vertical
• Trees with rough bark that provide a good foothold
Among its favorite hosts – live oak, bald cypress, red cedar, hackberry.
One additional factor is the willingness of the tree to be a happy host. Spanish moss can grow so profusely in a tree that it interferes with photosynthesis by blocking sunlight from reaching the leaves. So certain trees, such as camphor, release chemical substances that kill Spanish moss.
I haven’t personally tried it, but what about HO scale lichen dipped in some Woodland Scenics ground foam?