Many of Hofwyl's trees have stood for centuries as silent witnesses to American history. Along the Ricefield Nature Trail, a state champion Sweetbay Magnolia lives next to the footbridge, and a state champion Hercules Club is also located at Hofwyl. Two Southern Magnolias planted at the end of the 19th century stand side by side at the front entrance to the plantation house. The plantation is especially known for its live oaks, Georgia's state tree, draped with Spanish moss that testifies to their great age. The Ophelia and Miriam live oaks, on either side of Hofwyl House, are members of the Louisiana Live Oak Society, and their age has been estimated at 500-800 years. Spanish moss is an air plant that wraps around a host tree and draws moisture and nutrients from the air and from pockets on the host's surface, allowing it to survive long dry periods and become dormant until moisture returns, though it can sometimes harm a host tree by overshading leaves or weighing down branches. Resurrection fern is also an air plant that lives on the branches of large trees such as cypresses and live oaks, survives drought by curling up and appearing dead, and then uncurls and reopens when water returns; it has even been taken on a space shuttle mission to observe this process in space.