Atmospheric Tillandsia are often called exotics among exotics. Spectacular and catchy, these amazing plants always become an original addition to the interior. It is difficult to call care for them extremely simple. Nevertheless, Tillandsias are considered one of the most interesting plants that belong to the Bromeliad family. Many famous designers are happy to use them to create original compositions.
In addition to beautiful foliage and spectacular flowering, members of the family are very diverse. The genus Tillandsia united both potted plants familiar to us and epiphytes that are strikingly different from them. Experienced flower growers believe that all efforts to grow these exotic guests will be more than paid off when your house is decorated with a beautiful tillandsia.
Description: general characteristics
Under natural conditions, representatives of the genus Tillandsia (Tillandsia), and theirthere are about 700 species, grow in various climatic conditions of Chile, USA, Mexico and Argentina. The genus was named by the great Carl Linnaeus in honor of the Finnish professor of medicine Elias Tillands. Translated from Swedish, till lands translates as "by land", "land". In indoor floriculture, only a few species are grown.
The genus Tillandsius combined two groups of plants that are significantly different from each other:
- Potted (green tillandsia). Plants develop in ordinary soil, produce beautiful rosettes of leaves that serve as a spectacular backdrop for inflorescences.
- Epiphytic Tillandsia, rather rare, slightly capricious plants that attract not with flowering, but with unusual foliage. Some varieties have a hard stem, they are completely devoid of it. Epiphytes are distinguished by oblong narrow leaves up to 25 centimeters long, and their width barely reaches one centimeter. Foliage color ranges from light gray to deep green.
Flat leaves with scales form rosettes of potted tillandsias. Some varieties have long and smooth leaves. From bright pink bracts, a large inflorescence is formed, which looks like an ear. Green Tilandsia live in houses for no more than five years.
Popular species
Each species of these plants has its own characteristics. Some attract lovers of indoor floriculture with the ability to change their color before flowering, others are valued for the possibility of development in any climatic zones, others haveamazing aroma. There are varieties that resemble balls of thread, the silver beard of an old man, and tufts of feathers. Below we list and briefly describe the most common types of tillandsia.
Tillandsia Gardenera
The plant forms a large rosette of folded arched leaves, which is a kind of collection for fog and dew. After condensation, moisture flows to the base of the stem along the leaves, where it is absorbed by the plant.
Bulbose
A very interesting variety of Tillandsia. The flower is an epiphyte, the plant uses the roots only to gain a foothold on something. Bulboza is very beautiful thanks to the leaves, which turn red-lavender during flowering.
Silver
Very spectacular tillandsia, the photo of which you can see below, has very narrow leaves, for which it is sometimes called filiform or hairy. At the base, they expand, spiraling or arching in a rather bizarre and random way. At first glance, not everyone will be able to guess that in front of him is a living plant. The birthplace of this natural miracle is Cuba, Jamaica, the countries of Mexico. And in July, a beautiful scarlet flower, silver Tillandsia, kicks out.
Sitnikova
This plant has cane leaves that gather in fancy panicles. An airy, but rather thick and bushy rosette is formed. The leaves can reach a length of 50 cm. During the flowering period, a beautiful bract appears from the center of the rosette, which is colored red. On it bloomqueue small purple flowers.
Violet Tillandsia
This variety looks like a beautiful coral. Small rosettes, no more than 5 cm in height and width, consist of curved thin leaves. Tillandsia Violetflower can attach itself to any support and thrive in almost any climate. Curved silvery leaves are very hard to the touch, have a conical shape. Before flowering in the summer, the inner leaves of the plant turn red. The inflorescences are spike-shaped, painted in blue-violet, and therefore the red upper leaves seem to be part of this magnificent flower.
Sticking
This Tillandsia (pictured below) is brightly colored. Its gray-green leaves form a dense rosette. Leaf plates up to 20 cm long and 1 cm wide are covered with gray scales. Short and curved peduncles crown dense spike-shaped inflorescences, on which oval bracts of bright pink tones are arranged in a spiral.
Tricolor Tillandsia
Effective and compact epiphyte with gray-green linear leaves that gather in wide rosettes. Peduncles are long and straight, shaped like an ear with rather long bracts of three colors: the lower part of the inflorescence is colored reddish, the center is yellow, and the top is a delicate salad color with purple flowers.
Louisiana moss
Unusual plant is a thin and long (up to 8 meters) shoots that naturally hang from rocks and tree branches. Typicalrepresentative of the atmospheric tillandsia, which has no roots. The plant receives nutrients from rainwater, which dissolves accumulated dust, waste products of microorganisms, and plant residues on the surface of the leaves. It is noteworthy that at home, Louisiana moss does not need to be fixed on a support - this tillandsia can, for example, be hung on a wall or pieces of furniture. The plant needs to be able to grow down.
Tillandsia usniforma: description
The next species we want to tell you about is the most popular among the rest of the genus. That is why we will dwell on its description in more detail. Tillandsia has other names, for example, Spanish moss. In fact, this is not moss, because the plant reproduces not by spores, but by seeds. The lightest seeds are carried by the wind in different directions. Once on fertile soil, they form new shoots.
Spanish moss This plant is called for its external features and ability to survive in conditions where other crops die. Over time, the lower stems of the plant die off, and new ones rush up.
Distribution
Moisture and nutrients this plant absorbs from the air. This fact explains the spread of the urticaceous tillandsia in areas with high air humidity. The most beautiful specimens of this species are found in Bolivia, at an altitude of 3.5 thousand meters above sea level. Where the dormant tillandsia grows, the landscape turns into fabulousscenery, and on moonlit nights it becomes mystical.
External Features
Spanish moss wraps its soft thin twigs around a nearby plant - the trunk of a huge tree or a bush. Filamentous leaves about eight centimeters long and about a centimeter wide are arranged in two rows on highly branched, thin stems that are covered with whitish hairs. Their light-reflecting properties make the Tillandsia usniform gray-silver.
As we have already noted, this plant has no roots, it hangs from the trees in huge lacy cascades of not too long shoots, clinging to the bark of trees with thread-like stems. The length of the shoots does not exceed 20 cm, but there are a lot of them, and even when they die, they do not fall off. New young shoots cover the old ones and eventually intertwine and grow so much that they form silvery beards, the length of which can exceed three meters.
This gave another name to this variety - old man's beard. In strong winds, long "beards" cling to nearby neighboring trees, Tillandsia shoots get stuck in their crowns and continue their development there. In summer, this plant blooms with yellowish-light green small flowers.
Growing Features: Placement
Tillandsia do not need soil. Therefore, in search of this plant, pay attention in flower shops not to pots, but to decorative compositions on a piece of bark, wood, or stone. So, when grown in room conditions, theseplants can be attached at the base of the rosette to pieces of bark, trellises, wooden blocks, or to special designs for epiphytes, which can be purchased in stores. For the same purpose, larch or cypress wood sawn into rings, beautiful, well-washed roots and stones, are suitable. Please note: it is very important to create comfortable conditions for the unhindered growth of shoots.
The following materials can be used to attach to the support:
- nylon threads;
- soft wire;
- Waterproof instant glue that is applied to a section of the stem and glues the plant to the bark or wooden block.
Treated wood, varnished or painted, is not recommended for the manufacture of the base. The same applies to gypsum fiber and polyurethane foam.
Soon the plant will be fixed on the support and will begin to develop the territory. When placing tillandsia on a support, one more thing must be taken into account. Periodically, the plant, along with the support, must be immersed in water. So, you need to think about it in advance. To injure the flower less, fix it on a small bar, which is then placed on composite structures in the room.
Some growers find it convenient to wrap the rosette in sphagnum moss to help provide the extra moisture that atmospheric tillandsia needs. If you do not plan to fix the flower on a support, use stones that must first be washed well, and thenjust put the plant on top. You will only have to wait until it is fixed on the stones and shoots.
An exotic guest can be placed in a beautiful flat vase or candy bowl, but make sure that moisture does not accumulate in the container. Excessive moisture can kill the plant.
Many growers prefer to grow atmospheric tillandsia in a low flower pot filled with pieces of tree bark and fibrous material. For greater stability, tie the plant to the pot with a soft bandage. After a few weeks, the flower will be fixed and will hold on to the support itself. In this case, it is convenient to maintain soil moisture.
Temperature
Tillandsia do not tolerate too high temperatures. Plants feel much more comfortable at a daytime summer temperature of about +25 ° C, and at night it should not fall below +15 ° C. From November to February, the optimal regime for these plants is in the range of +14…+18 °C.
Lighting
Atmospheric tillandsias are shade-tolerant and even shade-loving plants, but they also need sunlight. Places near the northwestern or eastern windows are most suitable for them. In indoor floriculture, they prefer partial shade, and in natural conditions they perfectly tolerate the sun of tropical forests. This should be taken into account in winter and rearrange the compositions to lighter areas.
In winter, atmospheric tillandsias will need additional lighting to increase daylight hours to fourteen hours a day. To do this, you can use fluorescent lamps.
Humidity
Because epiphytes absorb moisture and feed from the air, the level of humidity is extremely important for them. It must be at least 75%. Every morning it is necessary to spray the plant with settled warm water. During flowering, try not to get water on the peduncle. It can be covered with a plastic bag during water procedures.
With the onset of the heating season, the air in our apartments becomes much drier. If you don't have a humidifier, you're unlikely to be able to maintain a consistently high level of humidity just by misting. Alternatively, you can consider purchasing a special florarium.
Often flower growers grow epiphytes in the bathroom, where you can create comfortable conditions for this plant to develop. You can also use aquariums equipped with artificial lighting, as well as humidity and temperature controls. Tillandsia look spectacular in flower showcases, glass vases.
It should be understood that these exotic guests also need fresh air. They must receive it constantly, enjoy its circulation. Rooms in which tillandsia grow must be regularly ventilated. In summer, take flowers to the balcony or veranda. Such a walk will be very popular with unusual pets. But try not to let the tender shoots wet the rain or ruffle the cold wind. This culture also does not tolerate ice drafts, however, like any houseplant.
Economic value
In distant colonial times, economic importanceTillandsia usniforma was reduced to the use of thin stems of this plant for stuffing pillows or mattresses, making upholstered furniture. Now residents of countries where Tillandsia grow naturally use plants to make ritual dolls. Spanish moss is used by birds to build nests.
