STORY BEHIND THE ART OF LYNNE RAILSBACK

Wildly Exquisite: Florida’s Native Plants

Ball Moss

Tillandsia recurvata

Tillandsia recurvata, ball moss, is everywhere here in Venice, Florida where I winter. A perfect specimen to represent as a Florida native. Because it is so abundant, I at first wondered if it was invasive or if it harms its host plant. No. It is an epiphyte, which means that it grows on other plants but does not take nutrients from them. The leaves and stems of ball moss absorb water and nutrients from the air. This characteristic has earned such tropical species the nickname: “air plant.”

Ball moss is also not a true moss. It is a flowering plant related to the pineapple and ornamental bromeliads. It grows well in areas with low light intensity, low air movement, and high relative humidity. Live oaks and large shade trees provide the ideal habitat for it.

It was in an area of live oak trees that I found the perfect specimen to paint. It had encircled the branch with its many neutral-colored tendrils, and the flowers in shades of brown reached out into the sky asking for attention. It had character, it had a dried appearance (which is typical of many of my paintings) and it did not change appearance while I was working on it.

Some homeowners do not care for the appearance of the plants in their yard while others enjoy them not only on their trees but also in hanging planters, and sometime include them as accents inside their homes. So far, I have enjoyed them in natural areas but not in my yard.

Necklace Pod

Sophora tomentosa

I am considered a “snowbird” as I fly to Florida from Wisconsin for the winter season. This is my 4th season in Florida, and I am always looking for interesting native plants to incorporate into my landscape - not only to preserve Florida’s habitat but also to have my own native specimens to paint. 

On a trip to one of the native garden centers last year, I was attracted to the bright yellow spikes of flowers on what was labeled a necklace pod. Upon closer look the individual blossoms reminded me of pea flowers. Unlike the leaves of other pea flowers, the small oval leaves were arranged on a long stalk and they remined me of ferns. I then noticed long pods of yellow/green seeds that hung down like a necklace. Obviously, this is how the plant, Sophora tomentosa var. truncata, got its common name. Of course, the plant came home with me.

I held off planting it until I completed the painting. I began the piece as I always do, no sketching first, just mixing the appropriate pigments from my palette of five colors: Hansa Yellow Light (which replaced Aureolin), Viridian, French Ultramarine, Quinacridone Pink (which replaced Permanent Rose), and Burnt Umber. I find it rewarding to get the shades I want with so few pigments. I also do not sketch because I feel this limits my creativity. Of course, sometimes the finished piece is disappointing, but all is not lost: I cut those paintings into ½” strips and weave them into a composition that is more appealing.

I completed the painting in about a month and it was time to find the perfect place to plant my specimen in my yard. While researching where it would be happiest, I was pleased to learn that its nectar was a favorite of bees, birds, and moths. There were however warnings that the dried “beads” are poisonous to humans. Perhaps I need to put a warning sign next to the plant?

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Read more about this artist’s work: Abundant Future