Changing its mount to another species of wood will make no difference in its growth. What matters is the quality of the air and the temperature of the air.
To these ends I would move the plant to the north side of your home or wherever it is the coldest at night. If it has cold nights (into the 50sF) it should handle the warmer day temps.
For it air pollution can only be mitigated by the amount of wind that the plant is exposed to. The more breeze it gets the better for it. When there is more breeze or wind blowing across this plant I would definitely increase misting as well though letting it dry between mistings. It can handle dryness if it is kept cool.

Great -- thanks a bunch! That was helpful.

Not to press my luck, but in case you're a sage on these matters, I'll toss out a few things I'm curious about. If not, or if you're busy, no worries.

1. Does the wood have to be in a certain state of decay before usnea can affix? (Side note: I put it on my living Dwarf Alberta spruce earlier in the year, wedging it in here and there whenever it would get knocked down. Months later, I noticed brown patches on said spruce. I'm not sure it's related, but could this be from the usnea?)

2. Does usnea grow at certain temperatures/times of year, and not during others?

3. I'm assuming that re: wind and pollution, the offender is sulfur dioxide, which must come in "batches?" In other words, if pollution were ever-present in equal amounts, wind might actually bring more airborne nasties in contact with the plant (a la wind chill/wind heat effects). Just curious. Also, is misting with chlorinated tap water a concern?

4. Does usnea have a sunlight preference?

Again, if this is too much, no need to reply -- these are just curiosities. Your first answer should get me on the right track, action-wise.

Thanks again,

James

1. Does the wood have to be in a certain state of decay before usnea can affix? (Side note: I put it on my living Dwarf Alberta spruce earlier in the year, wedging it in here and there whenever it would get knocked down. Months later, I noticed brown patches on said spruce. I'm not sure it's related, but could this be from the usnea?)
I DO NOT THINK that it is a matter of a state of decay but
rather the condition of roughness, probably tied to some \
degree of humidity and coolness, that allows spores to nest onto the bark and to germinate successfully. I am not too sure that simply trying to transplant would even be
effective at all. I would opt for tying a branch with the
lichen on it onto a branch without the lichen but with
comparable surface features and see what happens.
2. Does usnea grow at certain temperatures/times of year, and not during others?
IT IS A FUNGUS AND AN ALGAE. Perhaps if it gets too cold or too hot the plant does not grow, discounting air pollution.

3. I'm assuming that re: wind and pollution, the offender is sulfur dioxide, which must come in "batches?" In other words, if pollution were ever-present in equal amounts, wind might actually bring more airborne nasties in contact with the plant (a la wind chill/wind heat effects). Just curious. Also, is misting with chlorinated tap water a concern?
THINK THIS WAY. Wind that is blowing into your yard is coming from somewhere else. Would it not seem possible that that wind would be blowing in from an area that is not polluted?
Also is rain water chlorinated? Use distilled water. I am not too sure if R/O water is safe for lichens. I have one
lichen species but have not really monitored its growth. I really like the thalloid ones but was sad to discover that slugs LOVE tholloid lichens! Had a nice looking plant that seemed to be doing well with r/o water until it got munched out in one night of revelry by those narly gastropods!
4. Does usnea have a sunlight preference?
GOOD QUESTION. DON'T KNOW. but I would think that a northern exposure with indirect light is preferable unless you live where they occur naturally.

Here is a link that might be useful: Usnea

Thanks, terrestrial man -- that was helpful. (I'm actually retyping this b/c a Gardenweb pop-up ad locked up my computer during the first try.)

I'll give my usnea a few different branch options, to see which one it likes best.

I'm sorry to hear that the slugs liked your thalloid lichens even more than you do... I'm sure they appreciated it, at least. Hopefully, you can get a replacement.

Thanks again for your help and best of luck,

James

I checked on my last remaining lichen and it seems to be dying out. As it is in a mat of mosses I may be keeping it just too wet for it. Tough love!

I was in the town of Saranac Lake this weekend (3/17/18) and Usnea is absolutely everywhere in that area. I'd only seen it twice before in the Eastern Adirondacks. Trying to ID it led me here. When I was trying to figure out what I could from observation, I found the following:

1) It seemed to grow on all sides of the trees (I focus on tree trunks), indicating that it did not have a sunlight preference that I could discern.

2) Although it grew on both the trunks and branches of trees, it seemed to grow longer and in larger numbers in the branches.

3) The town of Saranac Lake is the coldest in NY, and one year, the coldest in the US, so it's VERY winter hardy (I was unable to find any tiny ski jackets or long underwear) and can grow in areas with a relatively short summer season.

4) I saw it on several species of tree, but it seemed to prefer pines.

5) The pines I observed it on (I did not note the species) had smooth bark, so I can't say how the spores remained in place long enough to grow.

6) I don't recall seeing it growing on dead wood, but there was about 2' of snow on the ground, so that may not mean anything. I have been there in summer, and I don't recall seeing it on dead wood then either, but there was such an abundance in the trees, I may not have been looking down.

7) I collected it with hopes of propagating it on a unique bonsai tree - a Sacred Banyan. It's size and growth habit would mimic scaled-down Spanish Moss. The traditional means of propagating mosses and lichens for bonsai is to throw it in a blender with buttermilk and puree it. The mixture should be sufficiently thick to stick to the target area. If your sample is small, add some rock-free potting soil. Apply the mixture to the target area with a paintbrush, cross your fingers and mist daily with bottled spring water. Actually, mist first, then cross your fingers. It's too hard to pull the spray trigger if your fingers are crossed, although you COULD use the other hand I guess, but I digress ;-)

Just read that Usnea is Nitrogen Sensitive, so that's the pollutant that inhibits growth. Also, Google methods of Moss/Lichen propagation for Bonsai just in case I got something wrong.

What would be the bear time to start Usnea? loke when should i purchase some and pit it oit on a tree? i love on New England