James Burghardt
Family
Bromeliaceae
Botanical Name
Tillandsia
Plant Common Name
Air Plant, Airplant
General Description
The genus Tillandsia was named by Carolus Linnaeus to honor Dr. Elias Tillands, a Finno-Swedish botanist who reportedly had an irrational fear of water. It was once thought these largely tree-dwelling bromeliads also disliked water but this was later found to be inaccurate. There are about 550 species of Tillandsia. They are naturally distributed across the subtropical and tropical regions of the Americas and dwell in various ecosystems from deserts to forests and mountains.
Tillandsias are either epiphytic (tree-dwelling) or lithophytic (rock-dwelling). In general, they have alternating stiff or leathery strap-shaped leaves. Plants are often, but not always, clump forming and have neat rosettes of foliage. The pendulous Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) is a unique form with delicate, curled strands of foliage which make it look less like a plant and more like a lichen. Leaf color varies from silver to shades of green blushed with other bright colors.
Leaf texture is soft or ridged; the hard stiff-leafed types usually grow in brighter light and soft-leafed types prefer more humid, shady conditions. The leaves of Tillandsia are covered with scales or hairs (trichomes) that collect water and nutrients for the plants. Most of these bromeliads hold onto trees or rocks via anchoring roots.
The flowers are borne on brightly colored stems that emerges from the plant's center. The blooms are three petaled and held in pairs between stiff broad petal-like bracts. The fruits are capsules filled with seeds tipped with white plumes. Once the plants flower they die, but before they die they produce small plantlets, or "pups", at the base that replace the mother plant. This method of reproduction often results in large clumps of plants.
Hardiness and culture are species dependent, but in general, tillandsias only grow outdoors in consistently warm locations, though a few species can take several degrees of frost. Generally, specimens grown in homes or glasshouses require bright light, high humidity and warm temperatures. Many are attached to slabs of cork or fir slab in terrariums and misted regularly, occasionally with a dilute solution of soluble fertilizer. Outside, most tillandsias receive nutrients from rain water and the decaying material it runs across.
Use Tillandsia in dish gardens, wood lathe hanging baskets and tropical displays. They are lovely in combination with other bromeliads and orchids tied to driftwood for stunning, colorful arrangements.
Characteristics
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Plant Type
Epiphyte
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade
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Bloom Time
Indeterminate
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Native To
North America, United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Growing Conditions
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Growth Rate
Slow
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Water Requirements
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
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Habit
Rosette/Stemless
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Seasonal Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
Purple, Yellow Green, Pink, Light Pink, Plum
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Light Green, Gray Green, Silver
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Light Green, Gray Green, Silver
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Light Green, Gray Green, Silver
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Foliage Color (Winter)
Light Green, Silver, Gray
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Fragrant Flowers
No
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
No
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Showy Fruit
No
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
Yes
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Foliage Texture
Fine
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Foliage Sheen
Matte
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Evergreen
Yes
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Showy Bark
No
