Plant of the Month

November’s Plant of the Month

LATIN NAME: Usnea spp.

COMMON NAME: Beard Lichen

FAMILY: Parmeliaceae (Kingdom Fungi)

TYPE: Fruticose Lichen

LOCATION AT BLOEDEL RESERVE: Boardwalk Trail & Moss Garden

ORIGIN: Worldwide

GARDEN USES: Not typical

FUN FACT: With over 130 species, Usnea, or beard lichen, has grown in forests worldwide since the Eocene Period, about 34 million years ago. It lives through a partnership between fungus and algae, sharing nutrients to survive. Usnea can be recognized by its stretchy white core when its strands are pulled apart. Since it doesn’t grow well in polluted air, finding it usually means the air is clean and low in sulfur dioxide.

–Content by Gardens North Manager Sean Peterson