How not to get lost in the views and provide competent care for Tillandsia

A bright representative of the Bromeliad family is tillandsia. Caring for it is not simple, but this does not reduce its popularity. Perhaps the reason is graceful foliage or spectacular flowering. To understand what tillandsia is, you need to know that this genus of plants combines two contrasting groups at once. What is still interesting tillandsia and how to care for her - read on.

What is interesting

The genus Tillandsia includes two groups of plants. They are little similar in appearance, and even more differ in preferences. If the representatives of the first group are accustomed to an ordinary florist, then plants of the second group are rare, mainly in private collections of professional flower growers. So, there are two types of tillandsia:

• Potted tillandsia, or green. They take root well at home, prefer ordinary soil. Attractive by their flowering: a luxurious rosette of leaves smooths out the “prickiness” of inflorescences.
• Tillandsia epiphytes, or silvery (gray). For these capricious representatives of the genus, chic foliage is characteristic, against the background of which flowering is not so attractive. Epiphytes are therefore rare because they are very demanding and poorly take root in room conditions. Such tillandsia has another name - atmospheric.

Foliage coloration is the first distinguishing feature by which tillandsia belongs to a particular group. Therefore, among flower growers there are names of tillandsia by color: gray or green. This is not the most accurate definition for a plant. Among potted tillandsia there are hybrids with a gray color of the vegetative mass. Despite the differences, potted and epiphytic tillandsia are combined in one genus. Hundreds of species from the genus Tillandsia grow in the Americas.

As diverse are the types of tillandsia, so are its habitats. The plant is found in the rainforest and in the arid savannah. It grows equally successfully both on mountain slopes, whose soils are infertile, and in semi-deserts, where air humidity leaves much to be desired. Epiphytic plants settle on trees; potted plants prefer soil reliability.

Varieties

Green or potted tillandsia are more similar to other representatives of bromeliads. These are evergreen small plants with a rosette of narrow long leaves, pointed to the end. The rosette is very dense, which distinguishes it from the background of neighboring plants. Every year, the mother socket dies, and it is replaced by a daughter. A flower stalk grows from the center. The inflorescence on it has an unusual shape resembling an ear or feather. The beauty of the flower lies in bright bracts: their color is pure and saturated.

Types of green tillandsia:

• Tillandsia blue (Tillandsia cyanea) - The most popular plant among tillandsii for home cultivation. The bush reaches a height of 25 cm, that is, it is not large. The leaves are green, covered with small scales, at the base have a reddish-brown hue, and are covered with brown stripes along the entire length. Bracts are usually pink or purple. Blue, violet or blue flowers form around the edges. They are very few (one or two), and they quickly fade.

• Tillandsia Anita - a hybrid obtained using blue tillandsia. If you are shown photos of tillandsia, then most likely this is this species. It has a dense rosette of leaves, short peduncles, pink or purple bracts and pretty blue flowers.

• Tillandsia Duer (Tillandsia dyeriana) - Another popular representative of potted tillandsia. Has an inflorescence in the form of a loose spikelet. The shade of the bract is reddish-orange.

The trump card of epiphytic tillandsia is not in inflorescences, but in foliage. Thin and almost transparent leaves, together with fragile stems (if any) form an elegant green-gray cloud. Interestingly, the leaves perform not only their main function, but also the function of the roots: through them, the plant receives moisture and feeds. This is due to the scales on which the sheet is coated. Because of them, the foliage seems gray. The root system is practically absent and serves to consolidate.

Types of epiphytic tillandsia:

• Tillandsia usneoides (Tillandsia usneoides) - The leader in popularity among the atmospheric. Because of its appearance, it is called "angel hair." It has narrow, threadlike leaves covered with scales. Hanging, they form a beautiful cascade. The plant looks best on a support.

• Tillandsia violet-flowered (Tillandsia ionantha). Rosettes are formed by silver curved leaves. By mid-summer, it produces a blue-violet inflorescence, similar to an ear.

• Tillandsia silver (Tillandsia argentea) - The owner of thin sheet plates, which in a chaotic manner depart from the base.

Care

Plants of different groups differ not only in appearance, but also in content requirements. Care for tillandsia begins with the proper placement of a pot with a young seedling. For potted species, window sills from the western or eastern side are suitable. Such a plant needs a bright place, but without direct sunlight. With slight shading, it is allowed to grow tillandsia on the southern window, and blue tillandsia coexists quietly on the north side. As for atmospheric varieties, they prefer shadows.

Requirements for air humidity:

• for green species, a pallet filled with moss is enough;
• for grays, it is imperative to maintain high humidity (60-70%). It is better to place the plant in the florarium.

Potted species need frequent watering. The soil should not dry out. In summer, water is poured into the soil and into sockets. Tillandsia should be sprayed regularly.

Tip
Use soft and warm water for both watering and spraying.

With the onset of winter, watering is reduced, allowing the soil to dry out a little. Atmospheric species do not need watering, they get all the necessary moisture directly from the air. Therefore, you only need to spray them and the space around as often as possible. purityis.decorexpro.com/en/ recommends daily spraying of atmospheric tillandsia if the room temperature exceeds + 15⁰ C.

The optimum temperature for growing any species in the summer will be + 20-28⁰. If possible, take flowerpots to fresh air, for example, to a balcony. In winter, make sure that the temperature in the room does not fall below +18. In winter, potted species need to extend daylight hours with a lamp.

Fertilizers will not be superfluous. Choose complex mineral fertilizers for orchids or flowering plants, only the concentration must be reduced by two or even four times. The composition should have a minimum amount of copper, since this substance is toxic to all representatives of the bromeliad family. Fertilizer is applied once every two weeks. Feeding time is summer. Fertilizing is best done in a non-root way, by spraying, it is not recommended to fertilize the soil. Although top dressing stimulates the growth of tillandsia, they are not vital.

Transfer

Atmospheric samples do not require a change of pot and soil. Green tillandsia needs a transplant once every 2-3 years. A sign that it is time to "move" are the roots sticking out of the drainage holes. It is better to transplant and just too overgrown bush.

The capacity for growing should not be deep, since the root processes of the tillandsia are mainly superficial. It is better to choose a moderately wide flowerpot.For the cultivation of tillandsia, it is recommended to use soil for orchid or bromeliad. The main characteristics of the substrate: it must be loose, water- and breathable, light. How to prepare the soil for tillandsia yourself:

• sheet land - 1 part;
• moss sphagnum (chopped) - 1 part;
• peat - 1 part;

A little crushed charcoal, chopped sphagnum moss or fern roots will not hinder the soil. In the first week after transplantation, watering should be excluded.

Important
The transplant is carried out strictly after flowering - wait until the mother outlet is replaced by a young daughter.

Breeding

There are three ways to propagate tillandsia:

• seeds
• kids
• lateral processes.

The seed method of reproduction is not the most popular, since a young plant develops for a long time. If you still want to try, then stock up on a sand-peat substrate and patience. Seeds are distributed on the surface of the soil, moistened and covered with polyethylene. To germinate the seeds, put the pots in a warm (at least + 25⁰ C) and well-lit place. The first shoots appear a month later.

When propagating by a vegetative method, wait until the young shoot reaches half the size of the main plant (on average, about 10 cm), and then separate it. The best time for transplanting is spring and summer. Layers are planted in a mixture of peat and sand (taken in equal proportions). Rooting lasts about 2-3 months. When a young plant grows stronger, it must be transplanted into the soil for adult plants.

Bloom

If tillandsia was grown from seed, then its flowering is expected only in the fifth year. Propagated by a vegetative method gives flowers in the second year. Typically, the flowering period occurs in the summer, but under certain conditions it is possible to observe a game of colors in the fall and even in winter. The duration of flowering is two months.

First, a peduncle appears. Following the formation of flowers. Basically, they only complement the beauty of the peduncle. As the colors die, they need to be removed. The same is done with dried leaves.

Tip
To make tillandsia blossom, spray it with a zircon solution once a week.

Growing problems

Most often, the plant is affected by the bromeliad scab, a parasite that leaves brown spots on the back of the leaf. The pest is removed from the flower manually. Then the affected plant is treated with a soap solution. In an extreme case, spraying with insecticides is used.

If the leaves lose their saturated color and become covered with gray and brown spots, then tillandsia was struck by the fungus. The infected parts of the plant must be removed, the remaining shoots treated with fungicide. The defeat of the fungus is due to improper care: waterlogging or overdrying of the soil, lack of light, heat, and the presence of drafts. It is better to take care of tillandsia from the first days of its purchase than to treat the consequences of inattention.

Interesting to know

After your guests cease to admire the beauty of tillandsia, surprise them by telling these facts about the plant:

1. For the first time, the flower was described by the Swedish botanist of the 17th century E. Tillands, in whose honor it was named.
2. The plant caused a lot of associations, for which the people were given the names "old man's beard", "Spanish moss" and even "angel hair".
3. Birds use parts of the plant to make nests.
4. Epiphytes and parasites are not the same thing. Although both species are attached to another plant, the epiphyte does not receive nutrients from its props.
5. The filamentous leaves were once dried and used for stuffing mattresses and pillows.
6. Epiphytic plants create various compositions that adorn the interior. Such a flower is hung almost anywhere. For fastening, various coasters made of clay, stone and even pieces of bark are used.

The effort spent growing a beautiful Tillandsia is worth it. No wonder the plant has gained a reputation as the most exotic of exotics.The grower who grew tillandsia, especially of the atmospheric type, is worthy of applause. And the best reward is the unique flowering.