> Bromeliads> Tillandsia: home care
Tillandsia blue (Tillandsia cyanea)
An unusual flower, tillandsia, which attracts with its unusual appearance, is often found in flower shops.
Tillandsia (lat. Tillandsia family Bromeliads) - an epiphytic plant native to South America (Chile and Argentina). It got its name from the name of the botanist Elias Tillands.
Tillandsia is a low herbaceous plant, height, on average 20-30 cm. Tillandsia leaves are narrow, collected in a rosette, green or silvery. The roots, like many epiphytes, are poorly developed, the main function of nutrition is the stems and leaves. Flowers - bright, can be red, yellow, blue, white, purple. The shape of the flowers is unusual - a flat, wide ear. The flowers themselves live only a few days, but large, often pink or orange bracts retain their bright appearance for several months.
In nature, there are about 400 species.
For indoor breeding, many decorative varieties have appeared.
Tillandsia
Although tillandsia does not require any special conditions for growing, this flower cannot be called simple. All conditions must be strictly observed, and negative changes in the state of the plant should be responded to immediately.
Botanical description
Tillandsia usneiform (Latin Tillandsia usneoide) belongs to the family Bromeliads (lat. Bromeliaceae) and is a herbaceous perennial plant. This type is considered the most common.
The plant has no roots, it hangs from poles, trees, forming a cascade of long shoots, on the surface of which gray leaves grow, the length reaches several meters.
Falling growth, ampelous form. It does not need special reinforcement.
Description and introduction to the plant
In addition to Tillandsia Anita, there are more than 400 species of this plant. This exotic flower came to us from the tropical regions of Latin America and Mexico, where it grows in the wild. Only now it grows there on trees, and not in the soil.
The most popular for indoor cultivation, along with Anita, are also Tillandsia blue, of which Anita is considered a hybrid. Also known are Tillandsia Linden, Douera, Tricolor, Flabellata, and so on.
The appearance of this plant is truly spectacular. Anyone who just sees this plant is unlikely to remain indifferent to it.
The main part of the plant is long green leaves with sharp ends. Next to them are wide pink or purple inflorescences, on which delicate blue flowers can bloom from time to time.
True, Anita blooms for a short time, but bright inflorescences remain for a long time.
Lighting and temperature
Tillandsia usneiform prefers a sufficient amount of scattered, it grows well in shaded places. But direct sunlight is undesirable for the plant. The room should be well ventilated, but drafts are not desirable.
In summer you can place the flower on a terrace protected from the wind. Indoors, the flower grows best on the east or west side. The temperature regime is suitable moderate within + 18 + 24 ° С.
When and how it blooms
Bromeliad family - tillandsia, pineapple, bromeliad and others
In order for the plant to bloom luxuriantly and profusely, it must be properly looked after. Thanks to this, the culture will retain its decorative properties.
A characteristic feature of the plant is a flat inflorescence. It has a spike-like shape and is located on a small peduncle. The bud includes flowers of a rich blue hue. Also, its structure includes bracts of bright pink color. They overlap each other.
The flowers wither quickly enough, and the spike with bracts persists for quite a long time. After the end of flowering, shoots form in the leaf axils. The mother's socket dies.
Tillandsia blooms profusely with proper care
Humidity and watering
Because of the large variety of varieties watering plants is somewhat different, atmospheric varieties do not need watering, but only regular spraying.
In an ordinary apartment, it is quite difficult to maintain the required level of humidity; it is best to grow plants in florariums or indoor greenhouses. Tillandsia usneiform belongs to the moisture-loving species. It is better for her to purchase a humidifier if it is not possible to place her in a greenhouse environment.
In summer it is necessary make sure that the substrate is constantly wet, water should be poured directly into the center of the outlet, wetting the leaves at the same time. In winter, watering is carried out less often, the soil should have time to dry out between waterings.
Spraying is carried out on a daily basis, with the exception of the flowering period (moisture should not get on the petals) and at low temperatures, when watering is needed once a week and once a month, respectively. Tillandsia usneiform periodically should be completely submerged under water for a couple of hours.
Rolling the leaves indicates dehydration, in such a situation it is recommended to immerse the flowerpot under water overnight, after which the usual irrigation schedule should be resumed.
Planting and transplanting
A transplant is needed only after buying a flower in a store. The soil is replaced with a more nutritious soil. No need to water for a week after transplanting.
What is needed for landing
Azalea - home care after purchase
Atmospheric flowers don't need earth. They need to pick up a container, glass or plastic, in which several holes are made to drain the water.
Choosing the optimal soil
Only potting tillandsia needs soil. It is best to purchase a substrate designed for growing orchids.
For your information! For self-preparation of the soil, you need to mix equal amounts of charcoal, leaf earth and sphagnum.
Step by step process
A transplant is carried out if the tillandsia does not bloom for a long time or is overgrown. Step-by-step actions:
- Remove carefully from the old pot without damaging the root system.
- Save the old clod of earth so that the flower adapts faster in a new place.
- Place in a new container, filling its volume with earth, tamp it slightly.
- Water abundantly.
During the week, you need to spray the flower from a spray bottle every other day.
Soil and fertilizers
Tillandsia usneiform loves light, well-permeable neutral or slightly acidic soil. To be transplanted as needed when the bush becomes too bulky or the roots begin to emerge from the pot.
The upper layer of the substrate needs to be renewed annually; due to the poorly developed root system, the pot in this case needs a wide, but not deep one. You can buy the soil at the store or prepare it yourself:
- crushed peat (2 parts);
- deciduous humus (1 part);
- fern roots (1 part);
- sphagnum moss (1 part);
- pine bark (1 part).
Tillandsia usneiform needs fertilization 3 times a month using flower fertilizers, the dosage should be reduced four times compared to that indicated on the package.
In this case fertilizer for orchids can also be used, it can be a substrate or foliar feeding, that is, spraying the leaves. Fertilizers should contain little copper, higher concentrations can be toxic to bromeliads.
Description of Tillandsia Blue Anita
Anita hybrid was obtained by artificial pollination of Tillandsia with a blue atmospheric species. It is very similar to the maternal crop, and is a perennial herbaceous epiphytic plant about 30 cm high and wide. The maximum size of Tillandsia cyanea is considered to be 50 cm, but it is rarely achieved in culture.
A young plant has small roots, which it loses as it matures. They do not participate in the nutrition and supply of moisture to Tillandsia, but only help the juvenile rosette to gain a foothold on the surface.
The leaves of the Anita hybrid are narrow, long, pointed, arranged spirally and collected in a basal rosette. Their bases are widened, fit tightly to each other, forming many small "cisterns" for collecting water. The color of the leaves differs from the parent culture - not green, but grayish due to the abundance of covering scales (trichomes) inherited from atmospheric species. They help the tillandsia to feed, extract and retain moisture.
If it is easy to distinguish the hybrid and the original species by the color of the leaves, then the flowers are difficult for a layman to identify. In Tillandsia blue, on a 5-8 cm peduncle, a flat bilateral spike-shaped bracts about 15 cm long is formed, consisting of about 20 superimposed plates. Its color in a species plant is bright, pink-purple. The Tillandsia hybrid Anita is distinguished by a wider spike and a bracts of a pure pink color.
The flowers are purple, with three petals, fused at the base into a short tube, open in 1-2, live one day. The bract itself retains its decorative effect for 2 months, before drying it turns green.
Tillandsia blue, including the Anita hybrid, blooms once, usually at the age of 2-3 years. Then daughter plants appear in the outlet, but the mother bush does not necessarily die off. If you keep it, over time, you can get a spectacular blooming colony.
Blooming plant colony
Small, light winged Tillandsia seeds, collected in a capsule, appear only with cross-pollination - the stamens ripen much earlier than the pistil. Under natural conditions, hummingbirds and insects with a long proboscis "help" the culture.
Reproduction
Reproduction is carried out by seeds or by the method of separating lateral shoots, during the procedure it is necessary to exercise the utmost care so as not to damage the plant. The detached shoot should have noticeable roots and 4-6 small leaves, the cuts should be sprinkled with chopped charcoal.
For disembarkation it is necessary to use a container that will be sufficient for the development of an adult plant. Young animals must be protected from sunlight, the temperature must be maintained at 22-25 ° C. The substrate should be moderately moist for several weeks, the standard watering regime should begin no earlier than 1.5 months, the first flowering - after 1.5-2 g.
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Popular indoor types, their differences
| View | A type | Feature, care advice |
| Usneiform (Louisiana moss) | Atmospheric | Long stem up to three meters. Narrow leaves with scales up to 5 cm, from this they seem gray. No roots, no support needed. Small yellow-green flowers are formed in summer. |
| Bulbose | Leaves are tough, thickened, but narrow, collected in a bulb. During flowering, from green they become scarlet, burgundy. | |
| Snow | Has spiky, narrow, covered hairs. They participate in the process of plant nutrition from the environment.Undergoing development starting from flowering, pollination, it blooms and forms several rosettes in the axils of the leaves. That grow, reach the age of flowering and the cycle repeats | |
| Violet-flowered | Bush 5 cm. Silver leaves, due to small scales that collect moisture, cone-shaped, hard, end in a socket. Flowers of a purple hue. When flowering, the leaves turn red. Grows without a pot. If you place several plants at a short distance from each other, then soon they will cover the entire surface. | |
| Silver (hairy) | Leaves like threads are covered with scales, because of this they are silvery in the sun. They have a thickening near the outlet, where substances for food and water are collected. Small red-blue flowers appear in summer. | |
| Medusa head (gorgon) | It has a thickened bulb with twisting leaves. You must constantly make sure that it dries well after spraying, to create other leaves and roots. | |
| Sitnikovaya | Leaves of about 50 cm, resembling reeds, are collected in panicles. The rosette is divided into several panicles. Red bracts, on which purple flowers open alternately. | |
| Sticking out | Narrowed triangular leaves - 20: 1 cm. Spike-shaped flower. The peduncle is not long. | |
| Tricolor | Leaves are gray-green, linear, collected in a large rosette. Peduncle - straight, long, inflorescences of green, yellow and red. Flower petals, purple in color, are diamond-shaped. | |
| Gardener's | Leaves are thick, narrow, widening towards the bottom. Assembled into an outlet. Moisture collects in them and enters the flower to feed. | |
| Xerography ("xero" - "dry") | The leaves are crooked, the peduncle is pink. The soil is not needed, the main thing is to place it so that nothing interferes with the roots, spray it (especially if the leaves are twisted at the ends). Good at storing moisture. Thanks to this property, it is easy to grow even for a beginner in crop production. With good care, it grows up to one meter in height, the largest variety. Blooms for about a month. | |
| Blue | Potted | Green herbaceous leaves. Feature - a bright pink or lilac inflorescence. Flowers - purple or blue. Easy to grow in your home like a potted crop. |
| Anita | The variety was created using the atmospheric type - Blue. Green-gray basal leaves. Feature - a bright pink inflorescence in the form of a spike. The flowers are blue. Not whimsical to care for. | |
| Linden | Often confused with Blue, but the spike-shaped inflorescence is more round, pink, red. Flowers are blue. Thin leaves. | |
| Antonio | It has bright flowers, thin leaves sticking out, which intertwine in flowers. Highly ornamental plant. Absolutely not whimsical when leaving and growing. | |
| Douera | Long dense tongue-shaped sheets that fit into the outlet. Spike-shaped inflorescence, reminiscent of the yellow leaves of acacia. Blooms from top to bottom. The bract is red. | |
| Andreas | It has bright flowers, thin leaves sticking out. Highly ornamental plant. Absolutely not whimsical when leaving and growing. |
Atmospheric tillandsia
Pests and diseases
Plant needed periodically inspect, despite the fact that Tillandsia usneiform is resistant to diseases and pests. The main threats are scale insects and worms, which are removed mechanically with soapy water and a sponge. Folding or drying of the leaves at the base indicates a moisture deficit, the optimum humidity level for most is 70%. The rotted bases of the leaves are a sign of an excess of moisture, the wrinkling of the bulb is a reaction to a lack of water, to revive the plant, it must be immersed in water for 15-20 minutes.
What species are grown at home
Of the whole variety of tillandsias, only a few species were able to adapt to home conditions. There are also breeding hybrids, but there are also few of them. Most Popular:
- Tillandsia tricolor. Erect stems 7–10 cm long and dense rosettes of thin leaves covered with scales.The length of the leaf is about 20 cm. The plant owes its name to a very unusual red-yellow-green bracts. Shades change from bottom to top. Several peduncles are formed at the same time. The flowers are bright purple.
- Tillandsia fan (flabellata). It is very similar to Tillandsia tricolor, only the bracts differ. They have an unusual tubular shape and are painted in a bright coral or scarlet color.
- Tillandsia blue (suanea). The height of the rosette is about 25 cm. The length of the leaf is about 30 cm, the width is 2.5–3 cm. The main shade is bright green, but a violet or purple undertone is also guessed. The peduncle is rather short, often curved. The length of the inflorescence is about 15 cm, the width is about half that. It contains up to 20 buds. Crimson bracts change color to straw as they bloom. The flowers are blue-violet, they do not last long.
- Tillandsia Anita (anita). The most popular of the breeding hybrids, the “parent” is blue tillandsia. Leaves are scaly, lanceolate. The tip is very sharp, you can even prick about it. The flowers are pale blue, the bracts are pink-purple. As they fade, they turn green.
- Tillandsia Andre (andreana). The stem is long, leafy. Leaves are belt-shaped, thin, sometimes twisted into a spiral. They are covered with grayish brown scales. The plant does not form a peduncle, its inflorescence is apical. The flowers are bright scarlet, about 4 cm in diameter.
- Tillandsia Arauje (araujei). Stem 25–30 cm high, single or branching. Leaves are short, thick, 3–7 cm long, in the form of a cylinder with a bent apex. The peduncle is covered with pinkish scales. Bracts are crimson, flowers are snow-white, 2-3 cm in diameter.
- Tillandsia bulbous or bulbous (bulbosa). In nature, it forms entire colonies, covering the soil with a continuous carpet. The stem height varies from 5–7 to 18–20 cm. The length of the leaf is about 30 cm, the width is 5–8 cm. At the base there is a noticeable swelling with a diameter of 5–6 cm, which then sharply becomes thinner. The peduncle is covered with grayish-red scales. Bracts are green-scarlet, lavender flowers.
- Tillandsia mossy or usneoides, she is "grandfather's beard". The most popular plant from the epiphytic group. The leaves are threadlike, gray or silvery-gray, like a spider's web. Length - up to 5 cm, width - 1 mm. There are a lot of them, therefore, thanks to the meter-long stems, a kind of "cascade" is formed. The plant looks very impressive when it falls from the stand. Does not need support. The flowers are small, pale yellow or yellowish green. There is a natural mutation in which they are bluish.
- Tillandsia filamentous (filifolia). The height of the rosette is about 25 cm. The leaves are bright green, the peduncle is brownish. In the inflorescence of 10-16 buds. "Spike" is very wide, almost triangular. The flowers are small (1–1.5 cm in diameter), pastel purple.
- Tillandsia bent (recurvata). The stems are up to 10 cm long and the rosette is slightly higher in height. Leaves are rather thin, soft, 15–17 cm long. Peduncle up to 15 cm high, pubescent. Each bract has only 1-2 flowers. The petals are purple or white.
- Tillandsia silvery (argentea). The stalk is short, up to 5 cm. The height of the rosette is about 25 cm. The curved leaves, curling in a spiral, are covered with white or reddish "pile", they move away from its base randomly. Length - 7-10 cm, width - no more than 2-3 mm. The peduncle is smooth, straight or drooping. In the inflorescence 6-8 flowers with pale scarlet petals.
- Tillandsia double-edged (anceps). A very dense rosette of 40-50 leaves 18-20 cm long. Longitudinal crimson strokes stand out against the general bright green background. Bracts greenish-white, mallow-colored petals.
- Tillandsia Linden (lindenii). The outlet has 30 to 60 leaves. Average length - 20-25 cm, width - 1.5-2 cm. Bracts are crimson or crimson. The flowers are large (more than 5 cm in diameter), dark blue. The bases of the petals are white.
- Tillandsia violet-flowered (ionantha). Small rosettes of silvery green leaves. Bracts are bluish or lavender.As they form, the leaves in the center of the rosette gradually turn red.
- Tillandsia Dyer (dyeriana). The rosette consists of leaves that look like pine needles. Bracts are coral, flowers are pale pink.
- Tillandsia head of Medusa (caput-medusae). The bases of the leaves in the rosette are closed so tightly that they form something like an orchid bulb or pseudobulb. Their tips are bent back. Bracts are claret or crimson, flowers are bright blue. From a distance, the plant resembles a jellyfish or squid.
- Tillandsia sticking out (stricta). The leaves are in the form of very narrow triangles, like blades of grass. Length - 15–20 cm, width - 0.5–1 cm. Peduncles are curved. Bracts from bottom to top change color from pastel pink to crimson. The flowers are bluish-purple.
Photo: tillandsia, popular with amateur flower growers
Tillandsia protruding most often forms curved peduncles
Tillandsia the head of Medusa really evokes associations with the famous myth
Tillandsia Dyer has very bright bracts and flowers
The leaves in the center of the violet-flowered tillandsia rosette turn red as the peduncle forms
Tillandsia Lindena is a fairly typical representative of the genus
Tillandsia double-edged can be easily distinguished by its snow-white bracts
Tillandsia silvery looks so unusual that it does not seem to be a representative of the terrestrial flora at all.The leaves of the tillandsia, bent to the touch, are rather soft, although you cannot tell
Tillandsia filamentous fully justifies the name
Looking at Tillandsia mossy, it is hard to believe that this is a plant in general, and not a skein of thread.
Tillandsia bulbous got its name for the characteristic thickening at the base of the leaf.In Tillandsia Arauje, flowers of a very rare white color
Tillandsia Andre, unlike “relatives”, does not form a peduncle
Tillandsia Anita is the most popular breeding hybrid
Tillandsia blue is most often found in florist apartments
Tillandsia fan is very reminiscent of Tillandsia tricolor, they can be distinguished by ooten bracts
Tillandsia tricolor looks like a hedgehog curled up in a ball
Features of morphology
The plant has long, thin, drooping and branching stems of a silvery-gray color, covered with silvery hairs. The hairs are in the form of scales or miniature shields and absorb the moisture needed by the plant from the air, dew and rain drops. Its appearance resembles a lichen from the genus Usnea (Usnea).
The leaves are sharp, silvery, trough-shaped and equidistant, similar to stems. Yellowish-salad flowers are small, inconspicuous and hidden between leaves, appear in summer. They form 1-3 flower inflorescences growing in the corner of 2-3 bracts.
One flower has a three-piece calyx, a yellow-red three-petal crown, 6 stamens and 1 pistil. The fruit is an elongated capsule with very small seeds.
General information about the genus Tillandsia
Bromeliads (Bromeliaceae) are one of the most numerous families belonging to the class of monocotyledonous plants. In turn, it consists of three subfamilies:
- Pitcorniaceae (Pitcairnioideae);
- tillandsiaceae (Tillandsioideae);
- bromeliads (Bromelioideae).
The most extensive, well-known and common in culture genera of the subfamily Tillandsia are:
- tillandsia (Tillandsia);
- vriesea;
- guzmania (Guzmania).
The genus Tillandsia includes more than 400 species. Its geographical distribution extends beyond the tropical zone of North and South America, where most of the representatives of the Bromeliad family live. Some species grow in warm temperate areas.
Tillandsia are mostly terrestrial and arboreal epiphytes or lithophytes.
Among bromeliads, Tillandsias have shown the best adaptability to various habitats. They are divided into two large groups:
- epiphytes with green leaves, forming a rosette with a more or less pronounced funnel in the center, relatively easy to care for, often grown in a pot culture;
- atmospheric tillandsias are distinguished by gray (silvery) leaves, a variety of forms, and an extremely moody character.
Different types of tillandsia can be so different that it is difficult to "suspect" them of a relationship. They are all upright plants (with the exception of Tillandsia usneoides). The stem may be absent altogether, hardly noticeable or well developed, with elongated internodes.
Young tillandsias almost always have small roots. They do not serve to feed, but to cling to the support. The roots usually fall off over time. Leaves vary in shape and size, and can be bundled, rosette, or distributed over a long, geniculate stem. Flowers of different types are also dissimilar:
- in "cistern" epiphytes, they usually have a bright, spectacular bracts, similar to an ear or panicle, which lasts for several months;
- atmospheric views attract with original leaves and strange shapes, and not inconspicuous flowers.
Comment!
The most famous species is considered the atmospheric Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides), the most beautiful is the "cistern" Tillandsia blue (Tillandsia cyanea), which originates from the tropical Ecuadorian forests.
Tillandsia Usneiform Care
This is an unpretentious and uncomplicated plant for growing at home. It is enough to hang it on any support or tree to a height of 2-3 m. In the room, it is necessary to create an increased humidity of more than 80% or spray the tillandsia with warm water twice a day and leave the humidifiers constantly on. With a lack of moisture, its leaves begin to curl.
The temperature is maintained at the level of 20 ° -25 ° С, its short-term decrease to 12 ° С is allowed.
The plant does not like bright light, it is best to keep it in partial shade away from windows. This is especially true for the winter period, when spraying is necessary once every three days. You can completely switch to artificial lighting.
The air in the room must be fresh. Airing is carried out daily, light, but not cold drafts are welcome. In summer, it is recommended to keep the plant in the open air, and in the fall to bring it into the room. In this case, it is advisable to keep it under a canopy. Cold rain can destroy a native of the tropics.
During the flowering period and when the ambient temperature drops below 15 ° C, spraying should not be carried out. Once every two weeks, it is advisable for a pet to arrange a bath procedure, placing it in a bowl of water at room temperature for a few minutes.
Top dressing is also carried out by spraying only in spring and summer. Orchid fertilizer can be used. The dosage is reduced by 4 times from the value indicated in the instructions. Top dressing in winter can lead to the death of the plant.
Tillandsia is most easily reproduced vegetatively. It is enough to cut off young shoots with leaves from the mother bush and strengthen them on a new support. At high humidity, they easily take root in a new place and grow quickly.
The seeds grow in ordinary flower potting soil, but the sprouts grow very slowly.
The plant is resistant to many pests in the temperate zone, but it is affected by the bromeliad scale insect (Diaspis bromelia). To destroy them, the leaves must be regularly washed with soapy water and the parasites must be collected by hand. Any damaged parts must be removed immediately. The use of fungicides alone is usually insufficient.
Tillandsia (Tillandsia) is an evergreen plant of the Bromeliad family, brought to Russia from Latin America. It grows in different climates - from dry continental to humid equatorial, due to which its species differ.In total, there are more than 400 plant varieties, 200 of which can be grown at home.
Tips for growing tillandsia indoors
- Lighting.
If you have a potted (green) tillandsia plant, then places with good lighting, but without direct sunlight, are chosen for it - the eastern or western location of the windows. But the "atmospheric" views grow well in the shade, windows or places in the back of rooms are suitable for them. Tulle or gauze curtains are hung on the windows in the south. 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 a comfortable room temperature - 20-24 degrees. With the arrival of summer, you can arrange an "air vacation" by taking the plant pot out to the balcony or garden, but protecting it from harmful ultraviolet radiation or rain. If this is not possible, then frequent airing 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 plants can be placed in deep and wide pots with poured 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, the spraying is stopped. Spraying is carried out only with soft warm water. - Watering for tillandsia.
Gray plant varieties do not need watering, they receive all the moisture from the air through leaf plates. Green species are required in moderate soil moisture. In the summer, regular and abundant watering is important. Water is poured into the center of the outlet, and the leaves are moistened, the main thing is that the soil is moderately moist. In winter, it is necessary to be extremely careful with humidification, as it is easy to destroy the "Spanish moss". Moistening is required only if the earthy coma is dry, otherwise the root system will begin to rot. Usneiform tillandsia is sometimes recommended to be completely dipped 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 in a bucket of water overnight, then removing it and leveling the moisture schedule. Water for irrigation is needed only at room temperature and soft, free from impurities and salts. Distilled or filtered can be used. If possible, it is better to collect rainwater or melt snow in winter, and then warm up the liquid before watering. - Fertilizer "Louisiana moss".
When summer comes, the "angel hair" grown in pots (green tillandsias) require fertilization every 14 days with fertilizing for flowering indoor plants, and the concentration of the solution must be halved from that indicated on the manufacturer's label. Orchid food can be used. 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 all useful substances are obtained 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.
Mostly gray tillandsias do not need to change the pot and substrate. Other species need to be replanted only once every 2-3 years, when the roots have completely 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 roots of tillandsia are mostly shallow, the container should be wide, but not deep. If a flowering plant has already been acquired, then it should not be transplanted, but only after flowering, when the mother socket dies out and young shoots appear, you can change the pot.
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For the substrate, light, loose soil mixtures with good hydro and air permeability are selected. You can buy ready-made soil for bromeliads or orchid plants. Crushed bark of trees (spruce, pine or fir), leafy soil, humus, peat soil, perlite or river sand are also suitable, chopped sphagnum moss, fern roots, crushed charcoal are also mixed.
Possible growing difficulties
In order to enjoy the beauty of plants for as long as possible, you need to know what problems are possible during its cultivation, avoiding them if possible.:
- Decay of the stem at the base. Reduces moisture and improves drainage.
- Dying off of the mother's socket. They give the kids time to get stronger and put them in new pots.
- Lack of daughter outlets. Additional fertilizing is carried out with fertilizers.
- The leaves became soft. It is recommended to raise the ambient temperature.
- Gray spots on the leaves (gray mold). Treatment with fungicides is carried out.
Pests most often do not disturb Tillandsia, but occasionally a mealybug, scale insect can attack it.
Important! During flowering, moisturizing the leaves must be done very carefully so that water does not get on the flower.
