Another week, another Tillandsia post.

If my most recent post struck a chord of fancy in your green thumb, you may be hankering for some care tips for your prospective Tilly adoptees. As promised, here are some words of guidance for your entrance into the realm of Tillandsia!

Tillandsia Care

Fertilization

Tillandsia should be fertilized with a spray or water-soluble plant food that is specialized for their particular needs. Although they are rather tolerant and generally difficult to kill, tillandsia cannot receive all of the nutrients they would in the wild from softened tap water. According to Air Plant Shop, Tillandsia fertilizers are primarily composed of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, in amounts that differ from those in regular plant fertilizers. So, please, no feeding your tillys with MiracleGro®!

But if you need some purchase incentive, some wise Green Thumbs on the TillyNet* have allowed that a good fertilizer can enhance the already-spectacular blooms which Tillys render.

*Disclaimer: these are just the care websites I have been to for my own personal use; there is not an established Net for Tilly care!

Photosynthesizing

Tillandsia require around twelve hours of sunlight per day and prosper if placed near windows that are east-, south-, or west-facing.

However, if natural sunlight is not an option, artificial light may be used in plant and aquarium assortments. Grow lights may be a very beneficial option for those of us who live in temperate regions (like Centre County PA), as our leafy friends cannot receive enough sunlight during their dormant periods, which coincide with our winter season.

Watering

Most tillandsia do well with a full submergence for twenty-five to thirty-five minutes two to three times a week. However, longer, four-hour soaks may be required every-other week or so. This protocol should be monitored in the winter given the use of heating.
Other species, like the xerographica above, do well with regular misting instead of full soaks.
Tillys should by no means be watered with straight tap water! This is even bad for the most tolerant of house plants, as tap water contains contaminants like chlorine and fluorine, which damage the delicate root- and structural-systems of plants. However, if tap water is left out for at least twenty four hours, any chemicals originally present will dissipate and the water will be safe for plant use.
Pro Tip: Clean rain or pond water are also acceptable options for watering and even contain nutrients that can boost tilly health just as well as fertilizer!

After watering, tillys should be left to dry in a sunny, well-ventilated area. I also invert my plants while they dry so all of the water can be removed from the inner folds.
This is super important! Tillandsia can be prone to rot if water is left at their hearts where little air can enter between their folds.

For more detailed care tips, see any of the websites below:

Air Plant City

Air Plant Design Studio

PlantOddities

Tillandsia International

As a child, I was always fascinated by Spanish moss, Tillandsia usneoides- but not just for it’s spooky associations. The fact that it could grow on another organism without roots was, to me, the most absolute of bee’s knees. For the longest time, I thought that it was the only plant of its kind; after all, what kind of plant, if it is a plant at all, doesn’t need roots to retrieve nutrients from its surroundings?

The years progressed, and while I slowly began to forget about Spanish moss and its spectacular peculiarity, my ignorance lived on. But lo and behold, ecology found its way into my curriculum, bringing with it all I ever wanted to know about epiphytes– plants which grow on other organisms in commensalistic relationships and extract water and nutrients from the air. My interest in these super-nifty plants was piqued, but I never got an opportunity to give them anything more than a superficial glance. That is, until the 2016 “air plant” fad (if you need Google verification) came along.

While searching for low-maintenance houseplants (go figure) on Instagram, I stumbled across some photos of these octopus-looking things that people had stuck into sea urchin shells. I had no idea what they were, but became enamored with their tendril-like growth and give them a search. It turned out the specimens I had been eyeing were Tillandsia caput medusae, members of the Bromeliaceae family and epiphytes just like Spanish moss, only a thousand times cooler. Despite my attempts at restraint, my interest in caput medusae quickly mutated into an infatuation with Tillandsia in general. My copious amounts of research landed me with a solid base for how to tend to tillandsia and a set of favorite “flavors.” But I will expound upon these topics in later posts!

A Brief Background

Tillandsia hail from Central America and the West Indies, where they grow nestled in the boughs of trees or in the nooks of rock edifices. These somewhat peculiar habitats have earned tillandsia the common name of “air plants,” but many caretakers (or nearly-servile followers) often refer to them lovingly as “tillys.”

As prior stated, tillandsia are epiphytes and take no nutrients from- nor do any harm to- their choice location, but draw their life-blood from the air around them. This naturally-low-maintenance status makes tillys slow growers that can live for long periods of time- I’m talking decades, my friends. Tillandsia bloom toward the end of their lives, releasing their seeds to the wind to catch on other trees or rocks to stick and grow.

But if you want to find out even more details about terrific tillandsia, please begin with this article on Tillandsia from Hidden History!

Next week, I will let you in on a few of my most favorite species and go in-depth about modes of Tilly Care!