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Showing posts with label Tillandsia species. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tillandsia species. Show all posts
Being a Tillandsia I would consider this falls into an airplant catagory but this is the only species that actually grows on a soil medium. It behaves almost like a bromeliad species and the flower have similar appearance.
It is known as Pink Quill Plant where it has spike like bract that last for few weeks of which blue dandy flowers appears from it that last a day. These flowers do constantly make their appearance as long as the bract lasts. Eventually the bract turns green and slowly drys away.
When this happens, new pups appears from the leaves forming new plants. It can be a bit messy as these pups form from inside the parent plant and so proper care is required to carefully snap and remove the pups once the pups had grown bigger.
Leaving them too long with the parent plant can cause the mother plant to exhaust itself and die away, therefore removing them on the ideal timing can extend the parent plant lifespan - making them to produce more new pups.
Although this is a Tillandsia - the care and maintenance is very much like the bromeliad needs.
Therefore adequate indirect light and watering is required for this one.
This is a thirsty plant - too less water can make this plant totally dry and burned off but too much water can also make them totally rot - an ideal balance is required to ensure its fully hydrated.
I just wanted to show my airplant collection here where it also showcase my Spanish Moss which is also another Airplant species.
I hope you enjoyed viewing my collection and do share with me your thoughts and experience with airplants.
This was doing well for some time then suddenly it got burned up and just disintegrated and fall away. I was shocked to noticed when it succumb as it was doing so well over the years. I guess they are not heat tolerant as during the few weeks of very hot and dry weather was not favorable for them.
Tillandsia 'Cotton Candy'
I find this one a bit challenging - I had killed a few as it had rotten away and so care must be given to ensure that it is not strongly exposed to direct open rain in long-term. This can prove fatal for them.
Tillandsia 'magnusiana'
Another one bite the dust literally when it rained continuously for many days. I suddenly noticed the whole plant in grey and was worried. I took it indoor and placed it under the fan and was happy to see it turn silvery white but it was too late - the whole thing disintegrated like feathers as the drying effect is not so effective.
I don't think I'm going to cultivate this one unless I find a good location for this one.
Tillandsia 'baileyi X schiedeana mini'
This one is a winner - I started falling in love with the green foliage types as they seemed to be more hardy and able to handle high humidity well compared to the silver ones.
This however is a lovely clump and I'm just loving the whole community ball thing.
Tillandsia 'funckiana'
This particular one loves to cascade and fall like hanging brush. This one have a pine leaves kind of appearance and many new sprouts easily form from the main stalk. However they can be a little sensitive and break easily from the main branch and therefore securing them properly as they don't fall away and get lost.
Tillandsia Ionantha
This is the most common and the most easiest one to care for. I would totally recommend this one first for beginners who wish to start with the airplant collection. Truly this is a beauty and when they had flowered new pups appears from the foliage sides and slowly forming into a ball shape.
Just for the record the bigger one is Tillandsia caput-medusae and the smaller one is tillandsia bulbosa.
Unlike the other common types these are bulb appearing type which by my experience can be difficult and tricky - they can rot easily compared to the rosette types.
Watering must be carefully administered that it must dry off immediately as they can rot if they stay wet throughout the day. Therefore placing them in a good windly, air movement location is very ideal for them or another option of receiving good bright indirect sunlight for them to dry off on daily basis.
There are many varieties of both of this kind but I'm just keeping these two types for variety sake.
It is a slow growing plant and may get easily damaged if handled roughly therefore place them in a permanent location as they don't get stressed and avoid removing them often.
Some growers advise the gardeners to often submerge them in water and turn them upside down to drain off the excess water - I find that too tedious and requiring too much effort. It is best to tie them up - side ways and water them daily if the conditions are right.
I believe this is Tillandsia Curly Slim or perhaps may got it wrong.
This particular one is quite huge and continued to grow longer by the years.
It is best to hang it upside down as not to get the water at the crown center to avoid crown rot.
Truly this is a cascading beauty. I had cared for it to make sure the leaves gets minimum damage from sunburn and as enough hydrated to keep it silver green.
It is a slow growing plant and may get easily damaged if handled roughly therefore place them in a permanent location as they don't get stressed and avoid removing them often.
Some growers advise the gardeners to often submerge them in water and turn them upside down to drain off the excess water - I find that too tedious and requiring too much effort. It is best to tie them up side ways and water them daily if the conditions are right.
Do check out my detailed information on how I care for my Airplants on my link below:
I have been keeping this one for years and their foliage structure still amaze me appearing like an octopus like tentacles - the leaves curls and cascade gracefully.
The ID seemed to be mysterious to me as it can be either a species or a hybrid based on the appearance my closest guess is that it is a Tillandsia xerographica hybrid.
If you notice the leaves are in silvery color - it has this velvet kind of surface where it is covered with specialized cells known as (trichomes) capable of rapidly absorbing water that gathers on the surface of the foliage. That is how they survive - when the leaves gets wet - they turn green.
Once they get dry - they turn back to their original silver coloration.
There are two types common types - the silver and green.
This particular type - the silver requires more care as they are not as hardy as the green counterpart.
And so - do be cautious on the watering regime as they can rot easily if over-watered.
However the one below is a true Tillandsia xerographica which I had purchased recently.
It is now showing new foliage growth as you can notice the spike like leaves from the center.
It is a slow growing plant and may get easily damaged if handled roughly therefore place them in a permanent location as they don't get stressed and avoid removing them often.
Some growers advise the gardeners to often submerge them in water and turn them upside down to drain off the excess water - I find that too tedious and requiring too much effort. It is best to tie them up side ways and water them daily if the conditions are right.
Do check out my detailed information on how I care for my Airplants on my link below:
My Garden is slowly settling to its permanent position
where I'm going to maintain what I have currently.
The best idea in keeping a successful garden
is keeping those plants that does well in your garden space.
Most friends were asking me for the tips for growing & maintaining
Spanish Moss. (Tillandsia Usneoides)
Hope this extensive & detailed information here give some success rate
for those who love them.
Tips listed here are not arranged according to their importance in the numeric order.
I think all of these factor are important.
Do go through them a bit. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUERIES DO FEEL FREE TO COMMENT BELOW UPDATES (MARCH 2020) I had uploaded a video on how it looks like - do check out the video below.
1) LIGHT Do not expose the plant in Direct Sunlight. NO DIRECT HOT BURNING CRISPING SUN
These are shade lovers.
In their natural environment - you will find them growing on trees with with fogs around them.
- Its not hanging out the like drying clothes, the whole plant is going to turn into crisp.
Likewise if you are having them in a hot tropical garden
the best ideal environment for them is of a shaded place.
Semi-light / partial morning or evening sunlight is OK
2) POSITION / LOCATION / PLACING
The plant must be hanged in such a manner that it is totally straight from top to bottom. (like in a 90 deg angle)
I know it sound crazy.
I have noticed that when this plant is tangled up here & there
but not in a proportion where its aligned directly top to bottom situation
- that portion tend to wither, rot or dry up.
It must be such a way that when you water the plant
- water droplets must able to cascade gracefully as in layers without any difficultly.
The total vertical position must be in aligned in a way that when the wind blows upon it
- it must "dance" gracefully.
If possible - position the plant where it can get the best air movement.
a) Do not place it against a wall or near a column (etc.)
The heat from the nearest wall or column may get transferred to the plant making the plant to dry-up.
b) Don't share or put this plant with another.
Spanish Moss don't seemed to be receptive with another plant growing together with it.
I had placed an orchid plant together with this and later found that there was a huge dried up patch at the place where I had positioned my small orchid plant.
My point - Keep your Spanish Moss exclusive.
You can tie-up something at the way top of the plant - but make sure that nothing disturbs it -especially during watering time.
Note:
It also mean - Don't put chime or hanging shells together with them.
c) Do not move your plant around here & there.
Find a nice permanent place and keep it there.
My mom started moving this plant up & down.
She re-locate them when it rains (hanging it by the gate) and then re-locate them back to a fence but rain water doesn't get there (its original place).
For sometime the plant tolerated it but at the end it got stressed it had eventually died.
Her problem:
i) The plant was not directly positioned top to bottom
(it was tilted - some parts are up, some parts are tangled here & there)
ii) The plant suffered shock as it got moved around.
Spanish Moss are not hardy plant (not in the tropical).
They need to be stay put in a permanent location but with good air movement.
(Not to be re-positioned frequently)
3) WATERING
The life & death of this plant is very much based on your watering regiment.
Few tips here:
a) Do not use direct tap water (chlorinated water)
This will burn your plant.
It is OK to use filtered water - The best I had found that works marvelously is rain water.
BEST TO USE RAIN WATER
I use to collect them in a bucket and sort of bath them.
I pour the water from the top and let the water cascade down & recollected back
into the bucket and continue to do so until the plant is saturated with water.
You will know this when the colour of the Spanish Moss turns green.
MISTING ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH
Misting water from a water spray is OK but that is not enough.
A lot of people fail to water the plant strongly - they need heavy watering.
At least once during a hot and dry day.
I usually spray my water hose on them (filtered water) from top to bottom
until they whole thing is soaking - dripping wet.
It must be wet enough that the plant can last at least about 20-30 minutes of staying wet.
(That is what I mean by strong watering.)
Never - Never Water Spanish Moss when it is Still Wet.
Only water them when they are totally dry.
I water my Spanish Moss about 5 - 6 times in a day during weekend on a hot & windy day.
This I do when the Spanish Moss is totally dry after the first watering.
You will notice that the plant shines in the silver green.
The plant will start to rot & wither when you water continuously
without letting the plant dry-up.
4) FEEDING
I don't feed my Spanish Moss. I don't believe in any of those fertilizer sold.
The really good ones are expensive. If you really want to use them - use them very sparingly
- like once in a month (spray lightly) those which are used for orchids - liquid fertilizer.
I would recommend using washed rice water. I use them once a month.
Well diluted (1 portion washed rice water with 5 portion water)
- This is because I need to water my whole collection of Spanish Moss.
Some gardeners suggest of using fish washed water - I prefer not as it would attract ants.
b) Don't use strong chemical fertilizer
These comes in cheap package where you use a small portion of it & mix with water.
(the powdered type)
IF you accidentally increase the dosage - even a small portion
- the whole plant might get stressed and burned within days.
5) PROPAGATION
Now this is the tricky part.
You need to have more Spanish Moss if you want to have them in your garden.
Spanish Moss does not live forever.
The older plant does eventually mature & die but they give out shoots that replaces the old plant.
NO CLIPPING THE BOTTOM LIVING PARTS AND POSITIONING THEM BACK ON THE DRY BURN SPOTS:
A lot of people I know who bought this plant makes a mistake without realizing it.
When the plant starts to dry up from the top - they clip the new plant and place it on the top.
This is a NO-NO.
The dried portion is some what contagious that in will infect the healthy ones to get matured faster and retards new growth. It will also causes shedding of the small bunches which you will find fallen off from the main clump.
Before you know it, its looks so damaged that you are not sure
what to keep and what to throw and the whole thing is so dis-proportioned.
SET UP A ROLE HANGER INSTEAD OF REPLACING THEM IN THE SAME HANGER
Its best to cut and place the new fronds to a new rolled wire and propagate from there.
Leave the parent plant to produce its new fronds and continue to cut and place them separately
to its new home. Layer the new fronds in such a way that there is enough space that they are not crowded nor thinly spaced.
The spacing is such that when you water
- the water can still hold and slowly cascade gracefully.
Too lightly spaced and the water will just descend down without any retention.
To heavy and the plant will suffocate and the those which are inside will tend to dry up.
What to do with those Pieces of Fallen Spanish Moss?
You will find small bundles of Spanish Moss fallen from the hanger.
They are way to small and may not long enough for you to lay them to the wire.
What I suggest is collect as many as you can within the few weeks.
Keep them watered and dried occasionally
(I know its easier than said - they can last even for few weeks if you ignore the watering.)
Tie them up with a fine string
- you can tie them together from a leaf spike or you can tie from the center of the plant.
Tie each of them - one after another in a long string and you can put them back on the wire.
(why waste those) They will eventually grow from there.
b) Hanging Wire : Insulated Wire without the Metal Exposed (Like a Cloth Hanger Wire)
Make a circle first.
Then bend the circle into half (like a half moon, smiling face)
Fasten two wires from the corners at both tips.
You will have 2 layers - front & back to layer the new Spanish Moss fronds on it.
Later, as the plant matures (about 6 months time)
- they will intertwine into a carpet like mesh.
The good part about it is that - the plant had learn to adapt itself in retaining the water on it.
You will find new fronds coming out from this mesh and also from the bottom.
Treat this as a parent plant
- the new fronds are to be transferred to a new hanging wire.
This is your second set of Spanish Moss.
Keep your Spanish Moss together in close approximately
- they create their own micro-climate of their own together.
Note: The older ones had dried up (they form the mesh) & you will also find small bundles of Spanish Moss springing from this mesh - some grows into new fronds & some falls off to the ground.
Hope this tips & suggestions will give you success growth with your Spanish Moss.
This is my years of experience with them.
Click below to see my humble beginnings.
Ask me any questions you would like to know on my comment box.
I will try my best to answer them based on my experience.
BE PATIENT
Even after you start doing this, you might not see any results - Be patient.
The plant may had gone through a lot of shock and will take time to recover but once it recovers
- the growth rate is very fast and you are able to replace the lost one in few weeks time.
I had given so many Spanish Moss to so many people
that I can safely say that I had given 50% of my collection to others.
For those who are still struggling and not sure what to do
- Hope these tips may shed some light on what not to do
(more than often if you get this part right - the battle is half won)
Bleeding Heart Vine Blooms with Oncidium Orchid & Spanish Moss at the background.
Do check my latest Updates on Spanish Moss and my Progressive Experience and More Ideas Below:
My Malaysian Tropical Garden mainly focused on unique and colorful plants ranging from rare to common plants all around the tropical belt across the world. Ideal for inspiration for challenging areas in the garden space - indoor gardening, balcony gardening and small green spaces especially for ariods, bromeliads, begonias, edibles, cascading & vertical garden plants, succulents & cacti, orchids, together with both shade and sun loving plants.
Do put your queries on the contact form above and I will come back to you ASAP via e-mail.
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