Tillandsia tectorum 'Ecuador' | Air Plant

Tillandsia, or air plants, are a member of the Bromeliad family, which are native to Central and South America and southeast North America. With around 650 known species, most Tillandsia are epiphytic, meaning that they cling to the surface of another plant or structure for stability, rather than anchoring and feeding themselves by spread roots through the ground. As these plants do not possess traditional roots, Tillandsia receive their water and nutrients through small, fuzzy, gray scales on their leaves which are called trichomes.

Average Size

2"-3" W

Care Guide

Light

Tillandsia prefers bright filtered or indirect light. Avoid lighting extremes such as direct sun or dark corners.

Water and Soil

Air plants do not need soil to live, however they do need regular watering, which they absorb through their fuzzy trichome covered exterior. A good rule of thumb is to soak your Tillandsia once every 5-10 days, depending on your growing conditions. You can also mist these plants between watering.

To soak your Air Plants, submerge the entire plant in distilled, room temperature water for 5-10 minutes. Every 3 or 4 weeks allow your Air Plants to stay submerged for a bit longer, around 30 to 60 minutes. When pulling your plants out of their bath, hold them upside down and gently shake them to remove excess water. Placing the plants on a towel or using a fan to speed drying is not a bad idea. It is important that no moisture is left between the crevices of this plants leaves, as this can encourage rotting.

A Note About Water: Tillandsia can be sensitive to chlorine or other chemical additives which are found in some municipal water. You can learn about possible contaminants in your water by inputting your zip code at https://www.ewg.org/. Watering your Tillandsia with bottled water is fine, however; well, rain, pond, lake, or non-carbonated mineral water is best as these contain key nutrients and minerals.

Temperature and Humidity

Air plants prefer temperatures between 60 and 90 degrees F. These plants love humidity, and would certainly appreciate added moisture from a humidifier or through regular misting.

Our Happy & Healthy Guarantee

Frond & Folia guarantees that the plant you receive will arrive in happy and healthy condition, and we take extreme care in packaging and shipping to ensure this. We are proud to report that over 99% of our orders to date have been delivered in happy and healthy condition. If you have concerns about shipping during cold weather, please reference our Winter Shipping Insurance.