Tillandsia Anita. Care, reproduction and transplantation

02.06.2022 Onions, beets, carrots

Tillandsia from the Bromeliad family belongs to the genus of herbaceous plants, which have more than 500 species. They are especially widespread in America in tropical and subtropical regions (in Chile, Central America, Mexico, Argentina). They got their name in honor of the Swedish botanist E. Tillands (1640 - 1693).

There are many types of original tillandsia in a wide variety of shades - from blue-blue to yellowish-green. By species, the following are distinguished: double-edged, living in Costa Rica; bulbous, growing from Mexico to Brazil; Lindens growing in Ecuador; usneiform, growing in the tropical rainforests of America, etc.

Description of Tillandsia

According to the shape of the inflorescences, malvoid, panicled tillandsia, etc. are distinguished. All of them are beautiful and original in form and habitat.

The size of the leaves is small - from 5 to 35 cm. The leaves are dark green in color, they are also found with a reddish-brown tint. In shape, they are narrow, slightly curved and form a dense rosette. The width of the leaves reaches 15 mm. In the center of the rosette, a dense spike-shaped elliptical inflorescence is formed with bright pink bracts located in two rows adjacent to each other. Small blue-violet tillandsias (25 mm) with pointed, recurved petals suddenly open and bloom for just one day. Among them there are flowers with other shades.

Tillandsias are also unusual in that the inflorescences open alternately. Very rarely there are two or more. In total, up to 20 pieces bloom during the entire flowering period.

Habitat Features

According to the habitat, these are very original flowers. Tillandsia grows on trees, less often on rocks and quite rarely on soils. They can cling to snags with bark residues and grow safely on them. For example, in Venezuela there is a growing on electric wires.

Some types of tillandsia are used as ornamental foliage plants due to their unusual shape and original habitats. They can grow at home, but only if certain rules for caring for them are observed.

Tillandsia anita hybrid

Tillandsia anita is a hybrid (highly ornamental) of Tillandsia blue ("Tillandsia cyanea").

Due to its light-loving nature, it can well take root on a balcony and loggia on a wooden or plastic stand, as well as in a pot on a windowsill. They can also be placed in areas near the wall, with various stands and racks installed on them. However, we must remember that tillandsia anita, like other species, does not like direct sunlight and drafts.

Tillandsia blue has been known in cultivation since 1867. Its homeland is the forest regions of Ecuador and Peru, which are located at an altitude of 550 to 1000 meters above sea level. The Latin name for this plant is Tillandsia cyanea. These are blooming unexpectedly and living one day.

Tillandsia grown at home, care

The conditions for them are special, since this is Tillandsia - a tropical plant. For its successful growth and flowering in summer, the ambient air temperature in the room should be at least 18-28°C, in winter - 18-20°C.

The plant must be kept in a bright place, but shaded from direct sunlight, since in case of insufficient lighting its leaves lose their freshness and decorative effect, and the inflorescences acquire pale shades.

Tillandsia anita, like other species, requires constant but moderate watering and spraying. Lack of moisture leads to drying of the tips of the leaves and their rounding, and overdrying leads to their dropping. The procedure should be carried out with soft (this flower does not tolerate water containing lime) warm water once a day in dry weather during warm seasons, the rest of the time - once a week or a month is enough, taking into account air humidity. During flowering, plants should be watered very carefully, preventing water from entering its peduncle.

Fertilizer and reproduction

Tillandsia anita and Tillandsia blue require top dressing once every 14 days with liquid taken in a volume 2 times less than the dose recommended in the instructions.

Tillandsia reproduce mainly by offspring and, very rarely, by seeds. The department of children is produced in spring and summer. Lateral shoots appear after the flowering of the plant. After they have 4-6 leaves and adventitious roots, they must be carefully separated from the base of the flower. If slices from the knife remain, they should be sprinkled with crushed charcoal. The shoot must be planted in a container and placed in a slightly shaded place. The air temperature should be 22-25°C. After about 2 years, possibly earlier, flowering will begin.

The substrate for all plants must be loose. Its composition: a mixture of fine spruce or fir bark, earth with leaves, sand, peat, humus, moss, fern roots and crushed pieces of charcoal. Due to the weak development of the roots, it is necessary to compact the plant in the ground.

Disease and pest control

Like all bromeliads, tillandsia is resistant to pests and diseases. Care is still needed for them, since their endurance is relative and not the same for different species.

Tillandsias suffer the most from bromeliad scale insects. These are insect shields visible to the naked eye on the underside of the leaves. You can overcome the scale insect by removing them from the leaves with sticks (plastic or wooden), without damaging the surface of the leaves themselves. The leaves are then washed well with soapy water.

Tillandsias can also be susceptible to viral and fungal diseases. If dark spots appear on the leaves, and their transparency has increased, then the plant has become infected. It is necessary to remove diseased leaves and ventilate the room. For the most part, plants in dense plantings are exposed to diseases, where there is not enough light and fresh air.

Tillandsias, unusual in their appearance, will perfectly decorate any room and give its design a special sophistication and originality. The original exotic flower - tillandsia anita - requires special care when grown at home. Its unusualness attracts the attention of many home plant lovers.

Tillandsias are often referred to as exotics among exotics. Magnificent and catchy, these beauties in the interior always seem especially original and daring. Despite difficult care, Tillandsias remain one of the most popular plants from the Bromeliad family. In addition to spectacular flowering and beautiful foliage, they boast a considerable variety. The genus Tillandsia combines both plants that are more familiar to us, and epiphytes that are completely different from them. And even if it takes a lot of effort to be successful in growing Tillandsia, these beauties are worth it.

Violet-flowered Tillandsia (Tillandsia ionantha). © Anne Elliott Content:

Two dissimilar exotics under one name

The Tillandsia genus combines two groups of plants that are not similar in appearance and character:

potted or green tillandsias, which grow in normal soil, produce a beautiful rosette of leaves that serve as an excellent backdrop for spectacular "spiky" inflorescences;
epiphytic tillandsias, rare, super-capricious, the most attractive feature of which is not flowering, but luxurious foliage.

Moreover, if potted tillandsias are very popular, then epiphytic ones are found only in private collections of experienced flower growers, so they are practically unknown to most fans of indoor exotics. These are different not only externally, but also in the use and required conditions for growing the plant. Flower growers often distinguish them by the simplest sign - the color of the foliage.

Epiphytic silver tillandsias are known among hobbyists as "gray" and showy potted ones as "green" tillandsias. But it’s easy to get confused with such nicknames, because grassy tillandsias also have varietal hybrids with a gray green color. In this regard, it is better to always clarify exactly the form of growth - epiphytic or potted.

But on the other hand, without exception, all Tillandsias are rightfully classified as exotics, and exotics are very catchy. In nature, these plants combine into one genus hundreds of different species found in the territories of South and North America. Tillandsia is one of the most representative genera of evergreen herbaceous and epiphytic plants belonging to the Bromeliad family (Bromeliaceae). It combines more than 400 plant species that differ significantly in appearance.

Potted, green, or herbaceous tillandsias are reminiscent of the more familiar bromeliads. These evergreens form a not very strong root system and produce a dense, massive rosette of narrow, linear or wedge-shaped, long leaves with pointed tips. Every year after flowering, a large maternal rosette is replaced by growth - daughter rosettes - and gradually dies off. Thus, the plant self-rejuvenates.

The rosette of leaves is so spectacular and dense that it stands out against the background of even indoor competitors similar in type of greenery. From the very center of the rosette, the plant produces a peduncle with a large inflorescence, the shape of which resembles an exotic ear. Bright, colorful, with graphic and "sharp" lines, the spike inflorescence seems to continue the lines of the leaves. The beauty of the inflorescence is given by bracts that hide almost inconspicuous, modest flowers.

The palette of colors includes the brightest "acrylic" tones - pink, purple, white, yellow, blue, blue, red, orange and cold lilac. The bracts are always painted in radiant, pure tones, which make the tillandsia appear dazzling.

Atmospheric tillandsia. © jeeaanne

The best types of green tillandsias:

Tillandsia blue(Tillandsia cyanea) - the most popular of the herbaceous species, forming a bizarre rosette of gramineous leaves, the color of which varies from a reddish base to brown-striped plates. It is limited to 20-30 cm in height. In summer, a flattened spike grows from the center of the rosette with dense, ornamentally arranged bracts that seem artificial. The flowers bloom gradually, as if a wave rolls over the ear from top to bottom. Bracts are painted in lilac or pink, and short-lived flowers with rhombic, recurved petals are blue or blue tones.
Tillandsia Lindena(Tillandsia lindenii) - similar to blue tillandsia, but more elegant beauty. The spike is more rounded, not as flattened, and the bracts are only pale pink or red. The flowers of the plant are also blue, the leaves are cereal-like, but thinner, collected in relatively loose rosettes.
Tillandsia Duera(Tillandsia dyriana) - a species whose inflorescence resembles a yellow autumn acacia leaf. An elegant and very beautiful plant develops in the form of a rosette of densely arranged tongue-shaped flat and long leaves, as if wrapped around the base of the peduncle. A thin peduncle bears a symmetrical inflorescence with loose, two-row arranged leaf-shaped oval bracts of orange or red tones.

Tillandsia blue (Tillandsia cyanea). © Jose Maria Escolano

Tillandsia Linden (Tillandsia lindenii). © お花の写真集

Tillandsia Duera (Tillandsia dyriana). © Stefano

Epiphytic tillandsias, also called atmospheric or air tillandsias, are famous for their foliage. It is not only the most beautiful part of plants, but also performs all the functions usually inherent in the roots: through the leaves of Tillandsia-epiphytes they feed and absorb moisture. The roots only serve to fix on the bark, stone or tree, they are practically invisible.

Among epiphytic tillandsias, there are both plants with a developed stem and stemless species. Outwardly, the leaves of atmospheric tillandsias seem very exotic: thread-like, very thin, almost transparent leaves are densely covered with scales and, together with the same thin shoots, form a uniquely beautiful green lace with a silvery-gray tint.

The best types of atmospheric tillandsias are:

Tillandsia(Tillandsia usneoides) is the most common epiphytic tillandsia, popularly known as "Spanish moss" or "old man's beard". She has thin stems, reaching several meters in length and filiform leaves up to 5 cm in length with a width of 0.1 cm, which are arranged in two rows. Due to the reflective scales densely covering the leaves and shoots, the greens appear gray or silvery. This tillandsia has no roots at all. And it grows, hanging from the bark, branches, stones like a lacy cascade. An amazing feature of the dormant tillandsia is that it does not need to be fixed on a support, it is enough just to hang it so that it can grow down. This rare lacy beauty also blooms, releasing yellowish-light green flowers in summer.
Tillandsia protruding(Tillandsia stricta) flaunts bright green with a rich color and resembles blades of grass. This epiphyte forms a dense rosette of narrowly triangular leaves covered with gray scales, up to 20 cm long and not more than 1 cm wide. Short, curved peduncles are crowned with a dense spike of inflorescence with spirally arranged oval watercolor-pink bracts and bluish or purple petals of inconspicuous flowers.
Tillandsia tricolor(Tillandsia tricolor) is a compact epiphyte with similar but more linear green-gray leaves forming a very spreading rosette. Straight and long peduncles, either in the form of a simple spike or from several spikes, are distinguished by long bracts, red at the bottom of the inflorescences, yellow in the middle and light green at the top, hiding purple flowers.
Other than a threadlike or hairy amazing tillandsia silvery(Tillandsia argentea) cannot be named. This epiphyte with narrow, widening to the base long leaf blades, curving in a spiral or bizarrely curved, growing in a kind of bunch from the base of the stems. It is rather difficult to unravel a living plant in this miracle, and not a dried cereal.
A similar effect is also Tillandsia Sitnikova(Tillandsia juncea) - an epiphyte with reed, thin leaves resembling cereals and collected in a kind of panicles, which together create an airy, but very bushy rosette.
Tillandsia violetflower(Tillandsia ionantha) is an epiphyte resembling exotic corals. It forms miniature rosettes of curved, claw-like, green-silvery leaves, above which spike-shaped bluish-purple inflorescences appear. During flowering, the upper leaves in rosettes turn red and themselves seem to be part of a fancy flower.
Tillandsia "Medusa Head"(Tillandsia caput-medusae) - an epiphyte, outwardly most similar to octopuses, jellyfish or squid. The leaves are tightly closed and form a kind of base-onion, bending to the side only at the top, forming bizarre outlines with juicy light gray leaves sticking out in different directions. Moisture accumulates in the “bulb”, flowing beautifully from the leaf blades. This epiphyte is capable of flowering, produces an unusual panicle of three to five "spikelets" with red granular bracts and violet-blue narrow-tubular flowers that contrast beautifully with them.

Tillandsia usneoides (Tillandsia usneoides). © Maja Dumat

Tillandsia sticking out (Tillandsia stricta). © claudinodebarba

Tillandsia tricolor (Tillandsia tricolor). © supple1957

Tillandsia care at home

Potted tillandsias are great accents that are used in modern interiors as bright touches and color accents. They are easier to grow in greenhouses, terrariums, indoor greenhouses and florariums, but with scrupulous care they grow well in ordinary rooms. These are extremely light-loving plants that need constant care, but are not too difficult to recreate conditions.

Epiphytic species in everything depend on air humidity and the quality of foliar top dressing. Since they feed precisely through the leaves, the care of the plants is very unusual and differs from standard procedures - from secluded lighting to high humidity. Despite this specificity, they can be grown not only in flower showcases, but also introduced into interiors, in particular, into the design of bathrooms, in which conditions of increased importance are already met.

Beautiful aquariums, florariums, glass vases, flower displays help to use this plant anywhere. The bark, pieces of wood or stones on which such tillandsias are attached look great on their own, but with an unusual plant they make a surprisingly catchy decoration, a whimsical pride of the collection.

Tillandsia lighting

Separate groups of tillandsia differ significantly not only in appearance, but also in their preferences for lighting. If potted tillandsias are very light-loving cultures, not tolerating even light penumbra, then epiphytic ones, on the contrary, are shade-tolerant.

Potted species provide the brightest possible lighting, but protect them from direct sunlight at any time of the year. The same level of illumination must be maintained year-round, compensating for the seasonal reduction either by rearranging or artificial lighting. Potted tillandsias prefer natural rather than artificial light and thrive on south, east and west window sills.

Epiphytic tillandsias are not only shade-tolerant, but also shade-loving. Any penumbra and shade will suit them, they can be safely placed even in the depths of the interior away from windows. They respond better to artificial lighting than potted varieties and can grow in full artificial light.

Tillandsia silver (Tillandsia argentea). © brainydays

Tillandsia sytnikovaya (Tillandsia juncea). © ciaomo

Violet-flowered Tillandsia (Tillandsia ionantha). © James Ho

Comfortable temperature conditions

All tillandsias like a stable growing environment and do not respond well to sudden changes in air and substrate temperature. These plants are rightfully considered heat-loving exotics: the most active growth of Tillandsia is demonstrated at a stable room temperature above 18 degrees. Potted beauties prefer a temperature of at least 18 degrees, lowering to 16 degrees of heat can greatly harm plants. But epiphytes are more hardy, they put up with a short-term drop in indicators to 12 degrees.

Despite the status of a greenhouse plant, tillandsias are big fans of ventilation and fresh air. Constant, better daily airing is one of the most important "secrets" in their cultivation. These exotics should not only regularly get access to fresh air, but also enjoy its freely circulating streams (do not expose plants in "corners", near walls or glasses, in close quarters with other plants). But just because Tillandsias are not afraid of drafts does not mean that they will put up with any winds.

They cannot stand cold, and even more so icy drafts, just like other indoor cultures. It is desirable that during ventilation the stable air temperature in the room is not disturbed. Both potted and epiphytic tillandsias can be safely moved to fresh air in summer (the only condition is to maintain a constant level of illumination). Despite the love of moisture, they need to be placed outdoors with complete protection from precipitation: cold rains can be detrimental to plants.

Tillandsia "Head of a Medusa" (Tillandsia caput-medusae). © kevin jones

Watering and humidity

Classic watering is carried out exclusively for potted tillandsia. In epiphytes, they are replaced by spraying, and the importance of this procedure can hardly be overestimated. However, herbaceous tillandsias require a standard approach to the procedures: the soil for these plants should always remain slightly moist, but strong moisture and complete drying of the earthen clod should be avoided during the active season from spring to summer. Watering should be moderate and careful, constantly monitored by the degree of drying of the substrate.

In winter, watering is carried out rarely, allowing the substrate to dry completely before each subsequent procedure. It is very easy to control whether the plant is comfortable with the irrigation regime: with signs of a lack of moisture, the tillandsias gradually twist the leaves, which indicates the need for abundant watering.

Watering itself is not quite usual: it is not worth pouring water onto the substrate, as for ordinary plants. Tillandsias are watered inside the outlet and lightly moisten all the leaves. If the plant lacks moisture and the leaves curl, then instead of the usual procedure, it is better to wash the earthy coma by immersing the plant pots in water overnight, and then letting the moisture drain freely.

Air humidity is a vital indicator for these plants. But if potted tillandsias can put up with a decrease in indicators to 60%, then for epiphytic tillandsias, a humidity of 80% is considered the minimum allowable. They have not in vain earned their title of atmospheric plants: in dry conditions, they simply die. High air humidity is best maintained by a combination of humidifiers (or their handicraft counterparts) with frequent spraying.

For epiphytic plants, the greens are intensively moistened in order to completely replace watering with spraying (procedures are carried out daily, preferably in the morning). If the temperature drops below 15-16 degrees, spraying should not be carried out, as well as during the flowering period. For the usniform tillandsia, in addition to spraying, immersion of the entire plant in water to soak it with moisture is also used (no more than 1 time in 2 weeks).

Water for tillandsia of any kind is selected very carefully: it must be soft and always warm (at least 5 degrees warmer than the air temperature for potted plants and the same as the air temperature for epiphytic plants).

Tillandsia silver in the interior. © Tillandsias

Feeding for Tillandsias

This is a unique plant that does not like conventional root dressings: fertilizers for all Tillandsias are best applied foliarly by spraying on the leaves. Potted Tillandsias can be fed normally, but this approach comes with too high a risk of infection due to watering inside the outlet. And the fact that it is the leaves of plants that absorb fertilizers better indicates the need to use foliar spraying.

For tillandsias, either special fertilizers for orchids or complex fertilizers for flowering plants are used. The dosage must be adjusted: the amount of fertilizer indicated by the manufacturer for potted tillandsias is halved, and for epiphytic plants - four times. To stimulate flowering in potted plants, you can also use a growth stimulator by spraying the plant with it for 1-2 months.

Both epiphytic and potted tillandsias are fed every two weeks only in spring and summer (for epiphytes, feeding in winter can be fatal, for potted plants, it will cause a lack of flowering next year).

Tillandsia in the florarium. © Tillandsias

Tillandsia transplant, containers and substrate

Tillandsias are suitable only for containers whose width exceeds the height. Plants develop specifically, the growth and daughter rosettes replace the mother ones and growth occurs mainly in width. The root system of Tillandsia is powerful, but not voluminous, and in deep containers, the plant may suffer from waterlogging and violation of comfortable conditions.

The substrate for these plants is chosen from loose, drained soil mixtures with a coarse fibrous texture. For Tillandsias, special soil mixtures for bromeliads or orchids are ideal, but you can make the soil yourself on the basis of equal parts of hardwood soil, humus and peat with additions of sphagnum, fern roots and pine bark.

Transplantation for epiphytic species is not carried out at all (they are sold fixed on a stone, bark or tree and grown on the same basis without a change), and for potted species it is carried out only after the volume of the bushes completely fills the free space (the plant will grow in breadth to the walls of the pot , and the roots will begin to peek out of the holes for water drainage). Potted tillandsia can remain in one container for 2-3 years, during which it is only necessary to replace the topsoil every year in early spring.

If a transplant is needed, the plant is taken out very carefully, carefully replacing the soil, trying not to injure even the smallest roots. The rhizome does not hold Tillandsia well in a loose substrate, so it is necessary to compact, crush the soil, paying attention to stabilizing the rosette of leaves.

Tillandsia blue (Tillandsia cyanea). © Anita Sheffield

Diseases and pests of Tillandsia

Tillandsias are not afraid of almost any typical indoor pests. But they suffer from bromeliad scale insects very often, and serious lesions are possible on any type of tillandsia. This specific pest can only be controlled by washing the plants with a soapy solution and removing the scale insects from the leaves, which is not always possible in fragile epiphytic species.

Diseases threaten Tillandsia with any violation of the conditions of detention. Particularly dangerous are rot and various viral infections, which are not enough to fight with fungicides: plants will have to cut out the damaged parts.

Common Growing Problems:

twisting of leaves during dehydration;
rotting of the base of the outlet when fertilizing with water for irrigation.

Tillandsia sticking out (Tillandsia stricta). © Soul Train

Tillandsia breeding

Epiphytic plants reproduce only vegetatively. From adult mother bushes, shoots with leaves can be cut off and tied to the usual base - bark, branch or stones. With an air humidity of 80% or more, the shoots will quickly establish themselves on a new basis and begin to grow. You can cut branches of any size.

Potted plants can be propagated both by seed and vegetatively.

Due to the fact that Tillandsia forms several young plants annually to replace a faded rosette, you can constantly get new rosettes capable of flowering, simply by separating them during transplantation. True, it is not worth rushing to separate: you can only separate those “children” whose size is at least half of the maternal outlet. Too weak sockets will not take root on their own. The optimal time for vegetative propagation is spring or summer.

The seeds of the plant germinate well, under normal conditions in a nutrient substrate and under glass, they germinate quickly in bright light. But the germination of seedlings requires patience: young Tillandsia grow extremely slowly, and they will acquire the ability to bloom only 10 years after sowing.

The content of the article:

Tillandsia is a member of the Bromeliaceae family, which includes more than 400 species of representatives of the green world of the planet. The territories located in the countries of South America are considered the birthplace of this exotic plant: Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Argentina, etc. She prefers to settle in a wide variety of areas, they can be both tropical forests and vast savannas with dry air, hot semi-deserts with minimal soil and air moisture, or mountain ranges with so little fertile soil. In general, this is a plant that can adapt to the climatic conditions in which nature will bring it.

This incredible green inhabitant of the planet got its name in honor of the botanist and naturalist from Sweden - Elias Tillands, who lived in 1640-1693, who described this plant. What names were not given to this exotic by associating its appearance with things known to man - “angel hair”, probably the most euphonious of all nicknames, and you can also recall “Louisiana moss”, “Spanish moss”, “old man’s beard”.

Tillandsia can grow both on trees (leading an epiphytic lifestyle) and located on the soil surface. It is rather difficult to describe plants of this species, since many have completely different external characteristics. Some have a powerful stem, while others are completely devoid of it. If the plant is epiphytic and its root system is atmospheric (for example, tillandsia is narrow), then their foliage grows up to 25 cm in length, with an elongated-lanceolate shape with a width of 5 mm to 2.5 cm, leaf plates are cast in gray-green hues. And also representatives of this genus with rich emerald leaf plates can be found. In tillandsias of such varieties, a leaf rosette grows, which is formed by flat-shaped leaves, reaching a length of 40 cm, and their surface is as if strewn with scaly. Through these formations, tillandsia absorbs useful substances from the entire space surrounding it. There are types of "angel hair" with completely smooth and glossy leaves. That is, the plant is very diverse!

In the very center of the leaf rosette, a flowering stem begins to grow, which is crowned with an inflorescence that takes the shape of a spikelet. Usually it has an oval shape and is surrounded by bracts that contrast favorably in color. Usually bracts are painted in shades of pink, their arrangement is two-row and so dense that they overlap each other. Among the bracts, one can see elongated flowers of a deep blue or purple hue, with fairly pointed tops of the petals, which deviate downward. The flowering process occurs in the middle of summer and continues until the end of the August days. After the flowers dry up, the mother plant produces a fruit in the form of a small box filled with numerous small seeds. Then the tillandsia begins to die off, subsequently forming numerous shoots.

According to their descriptions, tillandsias are divided into two groups:

"Atmospheric" plants, with practically no root processes, the leaves are long and filamentous, so they are covered with small scales that capture food for the "Spanish moss" from the air. These scales so densely cover the so-called leaves that the sun's rays falling on them, reflecting, give the impression of a gray color in the scaly threads - they hang like strands of hair from the host tree on which the tillandsia perched, and because of their appearance the plant received "hairy" nicknames. These species require high humidity conditions, and special aquariums, florariums or greenhouses are suitable for growing, in which humidity conditions will be high enough, it is also possible to grow these exotics in the shade at low temperatures during the winter months.
Plants grown as pot crops with a developed root system and denser leaf rosette. Leaf plates differ in the shape of lanceolate-elongated or triangular. Attract the eye with inflorescences painted in bright colors. These plants are called "green tillandsia".

The plant has adapted to reproduce using all the methods bestowed by nature - particles of stems or seed material can be picked up by gusts of wind or rain streams and carry them far from the place where the mother tillandsia grew. However, despite their vitality, there are already species that are listed in the Red Book as endangered.

The lifespan of Tillandsia indoors is on average up to five years. The plant is unpretentious and even a novice grower can grow it. It grows very slowly.

Lighting. If you have a potted (green) tillandsia plant, then choose places for it with good lighting, but without direct sunlight - the eastern or western location of the windows. But the "atmospheric" species grow well in the shade, for them north-facing windows or places in the back of the rooms are suitable. Tulle or gauze curtains are necessarily hung on south-facing windows. You can also stick paper or tracing paper on the window.
Content temperature. Tillandsia is quite thermophilic. When growing, it is important that the heat indicators do not fall below 18 degrees in winter, and for “airy” varieties - not lower than 12 degrees. When spring comes, it is important to maintain room comfortable heat - 20–24 degrees. With the advent of summer, you can arrange an "air vacation" by taking the plant pot to the balcony or garden, but protecting it from harmful ultraviolet radiation or rain. If this is not possible, then frequent ventilation of the rooms is necessary, but the bush should be protected from drafts.
Air humidity- it is required to maintain at least 60%. If the thermometer began to show temperatures above 15 degrees, then the plant requires daily spraying, especially if it is an "atmospheric" species. Potted ones can be placed in deep and wide pots filled with water and expanded clay at the bottom, the main thing is that the bottom of the flowerpot does not touch moisture. When the temperature is lowered, spraying is stopped. Spraying is carried out only with soft warm water.
Watering for Tillandsia. Gray varieties of plants do not need watering, they get all the moisture from the air through leaf plates. Green species are required in moderate soil moisture. In the summer, regular and plentiful watering is important. Pour water into the center of the outlet, and moisten the leaves, the main thing is that the soil is moderately moist. In winter, you need to be extremely careful with moisture, as it is easy to destroy the "Spanish moss". Moisture is required only if the earthen coma dries out, otherwise the root system will begin to rot. It is sometimes recommended to completely dip Tillandsia in water. The signal for the fastest watering will be deformed, twisted leaves, which means that the soil has dried out. The plant can be helped by immersing it overnight in a bucket of water, and then taking it out and aligning the moisture schedule. Water for irrigation is needed only at room temperature and soft, devoid of impurities and salts. You can use distilled or filtered. If possible, it is better to collect rainwater or melt snow in winter, and then heat the liquid before watering.
Louisiana moss fertilizer. When summertime comes, the "angel hair" grown in pots (green tillandsia) requires fertilizer every 14 days with dressings for flowering houseplants, and the concentration of the solution must be halved from that indicated on the label by the manufacturer. You can use top dressing for orchids. It is recommended not to fertilize the soil, but to spray the leaves, so it will not be possible to harm the flower. Since the "atmospheric" varieties of tillandsia receive all the useful substances from the air, it is recommended to simply spray them with water, in which a quarter of the dose recommended by the manufacturer is diluted. In winter, the plant does not need fertilizer.
Transplantation and selection of soil. In general, gray tillandsia do not require a change of pot and substrate. Other species need to be transplanted only once every 2-3 years, when the roots have fully mastered the soil and become visible from the drainage holes, or if the bush grows strongly. But in any case, it is recommended to change and add new soil. Since the tillandsia root shoots are mostly superficial, the container should be wide, but not deep. If a flowering plant has already been purchased, then it should not be transplanted, but only after flowering, when the mother outlet dies off and young shoots appear, you can change the pot.

Light, loose soil mixtures with good hydro and air permeability are selected for the substrate. You can buy ready-made soils for bromeliads or orchids. Also suitable is crushed tree bark (spruce, pine or fir), leafy soil, humus, peat soil, perlite or river sand, chopped sphagnum moss, fern roots, crushed charcoal are also mixed in.

Reproduction of tillandsia

You can get a new plant by jigging lateral processes, seeds, or separating children.

"Young growth" is usually separated from an adult plant when it reaches half its size. It is best to do this in the spring and summer. The substrate for planting is selected loose, as for adult tillandsia. Since the root system is not very deep, it is necessary to strengthen the plant in the soil. Such young seedlings will begin to bloom in one and a half to two years.

It is problematic to propagate "Spanish moss" with the help of seeds, since the plant grows very slowly.

Problems Growing Tillandsia

The plant is resistant to diseases and pests, but sometimes it is damaged by a bromeliad scale insect - brown spotting appears on the back of the leaves. It is necessary to manually carefully remove the pests and treat with a soapy or oily solution, you can spray with insecticides.

It happens that infection with fungal or viral diseases occurs - the leaf blades lose their color and become transparent, gray-brown spots appear. It is required to remove the infected areas of the plant and treat with a systemic fungicide.

Tillandsia is affected by such diseases if its planting is heavily thickened and it does not have enough air and lighting.

The name “Spanish moss” was given to Tillandsia by the Indians in the 16th century, whose facial hair grows rather poorly, but the Spanish conquistadors who arrived on their lands had thick and often gray beards after the trip. But the name "Louisiana moss" Tillandsia received due to the fact that it was most common in the US state of Louisiana, where the Mississippi River has an estuary and many swamps, often settles on branches or trunks of cypress trees. This plant is very loved by the birds of those places, as it is used by them in the construction of nests. And in the colonial years, dried thread leaves were used to stuff mattresses and pillows, as well as to make upholstered furniture, and today it is used to create Voodoo dolls.

Tillandsia species

Of the "atmospheric" tillandsias, the most popular are:

Tillandsia usneoides (Tillandsia usneoides)- This is the most common of the plants. She became the prototype of all the names associated with hair. Thin threadlike stems can reach several meters in length. The leaves are only half a centimeter wide with a length of 5 cm, arranged in two rows. Shoots and leaves are covered with small scales, giving a gray tint. The root system is missing. The plant does not need support, the main thing is that it should be possible to grow down. It blooms with inconspicuous and small flowers of a greenish-yellow color.
Violet-flowered Tillandsia (Tillandsia ionantha). Rosettes of this epiphyte form curved leaves of a silvery-metallic hue. With the advent of mid-summer, a spike-shaped inflorescence of a blue-violet color appears. The leaves that are in the middle turn red.
Tillandsia silver (Tillandsia argenta) differs in leaf blades, which have a slight expansion at their base and form a dense rosette. Their width is about 2 mm with a length of 6–9 cm. They have a bend, which allows them to move away from the center of the outlet in disorder.
Tillandsia "Head of a Medusa" (Tillandsia caput-medusae) has leaf plates so tightly closed at its base that they form something similar to an onion. And only at the very top the leaves are bent in different directions. The bulbous part serves to accumulate drops of water that flow from the leaves. The inflorescence has crimson bracts and deep blue flowers.
Tillandsia sytnikovaya (Tillandsia juncea). In this variety of tillandsia, leaf blades are similar to reed blades; panicles are collected from them, forming a leaf rosette in the form of a bush.
Tillandsia sticking out (Tillandsia stricta). Leaf blades are in the form of strongly elongated narrow triangles, completely covered with grayish scales. Their length is approximately 7–20 cm with a width of 0.5 cm to 1 cm. On a short and curved peduncle, brass knuckles have a spike-like inflorescence. Bracts are placed in a spiral order, and their color smoothly changes from soft pink to deep crimson. They have the shape of an oval, membranous. The bracts at the bottom are longer and cover the petals of blue or purple flowers.
Tillandsia tricolor (Tillandsia tricolor). A leaf rosette is formed, consisting of leaves of a linearly elongated shape with a length of 20 cm and a centimeter width. The entire surface is dotted with small scales. The long peduncle contains an inflorescence, which can be a single ear or a bunch of spikelets. The bracts take on a long elliptical shape, their color changes from the lower ones bright scarlet, to the middle ones - yellowish to the upper ones - a green tint. The sepals of the flower are bare, wrinkled, fused at their base. Purple colored flowers. "Green Tillandsia" of the most famous varieties.
Tillandsia blue (Tillandsia cyanea). In a plant, leaf plates are similar to cereals. At the base they have a reddish-brown color, and along the entire length they are brown striped on a green background. The entire surface is covered with small scales. With the advent of summer, a spike-shaped flat inflorescence appears. The bracts are colored pinkish or purple, and blue or purple or blue flowers appear along their edges. They wither very quickly. Flower diamond-shaped petals have a slight limb. Usually 1-2 flowers bloom. The height of the whole plant is not more than 25 cm.
Tillandsia Duera (Tillandsia dyriana). With the advent of summer heat, a long flower-bearing stem appears from the center of the rosette, the top of which is crowned with an inflorescence in the form of a loose spikelet. Its bracts are rich orange-red.
Tillandsia Linden (Tillandsia lindenii). It resembles Tilllandsia blue, but differs in the color of the bracts - pale pinkish or bright scarlet, the flowers are bluish, with a white eye.

For more information on caring for Tillandsia, see this video:

Among the specimens of the flora for indoor breeding there are quite exotic ones that are unusual for sight and perception.

Tillandsia home flower is a genus of evergreen, perennial flowering plants of the Bromeliad family with a representation of 639 species. In the natural environment, you can find it in the vast deserts of Central and South Asia, the southern part of the USA and the West Indies. Popularly, the flower is better known as the "air plant", "moss ball" and Spanish moss.

She got her name thanks to Karl Linna, who named Tillandsia in honor of the Swedish physician and botanist Elias Tillandsius. This material describes the types of tillandsia, presents photos of various varieties and varieties.

The leaves become thinner when planted in rainy climates, while the denser ones grow in drought-prone areas.

Tillandsia is a species of epiphytes, flowers and plants that grow not on soil, but on other plants or other places (stones, walls, etc.). It receives moisture and nutrients from the air through the so-called trichomes, which are present on the surface of the leaf.

This huge genus from the Bromeliad family is sometimes divided into broad-leaved aerial, or as they are also called atmospheric, plants and green ground leaves.

Tillandsia house flower is in many cultures the main ingredient in herbal mixtures for the treatment of pollen allergies. In addition, they will be a great addition to flowers grown in a greenhouse.

They are easy to care for and very exotic in appearance - this in many ways attracts modern landscape designers and just amateur gardeners. Tillandsia can grow in places where no other plants even survive - they can even bear fruit on electric cable on power lines.

This flower was once a very rare species, but now it grows in many gardens on large and hard objects - shells, stones, driftwood and slate. Only two tillandsia varieties can adapt to the soil - tillandsia cyanea variety or tillandsia lindenii.

Look at the photo of the Tillandsia flower of various types that can be successfully grown indoors:

Description of the tillandsia flower and its photo

As I said earlier, Tillandsia is an epiphyte and does not need soil. The roots are used only as an anchor, thanks to which the flower manages to attach itself to a particular plant. Starting the description of the tillandsia flower, you should pay attention to the shape of the leaves and buds.

The leaves often have a transitional color, such as green to red, especially before the flower begins to assemble. But mostly they are characterized by a gray or green color. By the way, this phenomenon is worth paying attention to - this is a sign of a monocarpic Tillandsia plant (a flower that releases seeds and then dies).

Tillandsia leaves open at night and close during the day to absorb gas and release oxygen.

Care for Tillandsia when grown at home

Tillandsia loves bright, indirect sunlight. The temperature in the range from 10 to 32 degrees is not critical for her. But on the other hand, they are sensitive to frost, with the exception of only one species, tillandsia usneoides, which can tolerate night frosts down to -10 degrees. Tillandsia care consists in creating favorable room conditions for it.

When planting for growing Tillandsia at home, do not forget that this variety requires a lot of space around it in order to fully develop.

It is also necessary to provide the tillandsia plant with sufficient moisture, especially if the summer is dry (the plant should be slightly damp). Good light, fresh air and optimal watering levels will allow you to grow a lush and beautiful plant (do not overdo it, especially on cool days).

Saturate the plant with moisture by spraying water on the surface of the bush, especially if the air is hot and dry - the plant in such circumstances requires a constant mist with a high level of humidity.

Important! If the air is cool, then spraying is recommended no more than three times a week.

You can add a low copper fertilizer diluted ¼ in water to the sprayer.

Propagation of Tillandsia indoors with seeds and cuttings

In room conditions, the Tillandsia flower is propagated by seeds or cuttings.

There is also another specific method of division - tillandsia throws out a small process from the base of the mother plant. When it reaches half the size of the parent, it is carefully divided and placed on its own stone.

Reproduction of tillandsia is also possible by cuttings: a pinch of a branch is separated from the ripened mother flower of the tillandsia and set on its own base. It is necessary to separate the process with a very sharp object, a blade, for example, so as not to damage the flower.

In no case, when attaching a young plant, do not use strong glue - choose a little weaker, apply it to the hill and the base of the young bush. Avoid gluing the roots and base.

The newly appeared shoot is grown in a place in bright light, but not exposed to sunlight. In the room, any direction for good growth will be favorable, with the possible exception of only the north side.

If you are growing Tillandsia away from a window, then add artificial lighting - fluorescent lamps and fluorescent lamps, which can be found in any store.

You can also grow Tillandsia from seeds, but we want to warn you right away - they will grow very slowly (this process can take several years).

Types of Tillandsia for growing at home

Tillandsia cyanea is also known as "pink feather".

It comes from a family of flowering plants in the Bromeliad family.

The natural habitat is the territory of the tropical forests of Ecuador. This epiphytic perennial reaches ten centimeters in length and forty in width. The bush has rosettes of thin, recurved leaves and paddle-shaped spines of 20 pink bracts with hints of purple.

Tillandsia anita belongs to the Bromeliad family.

The bush has narrow, but not pointed leaves of dark green color with a matte sheen. Tillandsia anita flowers are blue with pink bracts. They prefer places where there is a lot of natural light, but not the sun.

When caring for Tillandsia anita flowers, it is worth maintaining uniform moisture in the substrate and watering with water with a low lime content. In summer, spray with water with the addition of diluted fertilizers.

Tillandsia bartrami is a species of flowering plant from the Bromeliad family.

Its homeland is Florida and South Georgia, it is also widespread in the United States, in the state of Tamaulipas (Mexico). The name is derived from William Bartram, an early Florida naturalist.

The plant forms clumps up to 40 centimeters in diameter. There are gray leaves (15-20 pieces) 20 centimeters long and 0.4 centimeters wide. The inflorescences are up to fifteen centimeters long, 2-4 mm in diameter and may have up to 20 flowers.

Tillandsia fruits in bartras reach three millimeters in diameter.