Can anyone help me ID my first Tillandsia?

11 years ago

Hi, everyone! I got this Tillandsia at a fancy-shmancy grocery store. It was unlabeled as to species, and no amount of googling around has allowed me to ID it. It is my first Tillandsia and I kind of bought it on a whim, so I really have no idea what I'm doing, LOL. It has silvery, velvety leaves with purple tips. I think it looks a *little* like T. ionantha "Purple Velvet," but those usually show up in my Google image searches as being a redder, warmer purple, whereas mine is a pretty cool, bluish-purple at the tips. You'll see some damage to leaf tips...it was like that when I bought it. Honestly, sometimes I see plants at stores looking sad and I buy them because I want to save them, even if I don't know how. She just looked kind of sad and forlorn. Anyway, here's some photos:

When I bought it they told me to mist it once a week, or to dunk it at the same interval. I was doing misting only at first, but then thought I'd try dunking. So glad I did! The plant looked soooo much happier after dunking. The leaves were firmer and not so floppy, the purple in the tips came out more brightly. So yeah, I'm doing regular dunkings with occasional mistings in between now. I keep it in a small fishbowl with a wide opening at the top, pebbles on the bottom. All of the windows in my apartment are west-facing; it gets indirect light during most of the day, but it's far enough from the window that it doesn't get hit with too much of that direct light in the afternoon.

Someone at a greenhouse I was at recently suggested I use orchid fertilizer at half-strength in my dunking water. Is this a good idea? Haven't been able to find a fertilizer specifically for air plants at any store, but I have some orchid fertilizer handy in my cabinet. Haven't given it any fertilizer yet; trying to be conservative and cautious about that.

Any ideas on how long it will take to bloom, or how fast I should expect it to grow?

Thank you!! =)

Featured Answer

lynngun

11 years ago

Even if that is the fertilizer to use I would not do it every time; maybe once a month. In my experience air plants will grow at a leisurely rate and I hear that they can take several years to bloom. Depending on how old it is now you could have a wide range of times. It is very possible that under ideal conditions they could grow quite quickly.

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Comments (11)

wildhyacinth
Original Author
11 years ago
Ok, that makes me feel a little better. It definitely seems to be growing sloooowly, if at all. It's hard to even tell, and I was a little worried about that. It definitely looks healthier to me since I upped my watering game. I could swear it seems fuzzier and more velvety since I started dunking. Is that a thing that happens to Tillandsia when they're well-hydrated?

I will take your advice and only fertilize once a month. Since I haven't done it at all yet, maybe I'll try tomorrow!

Thanks for helping out a newbie. =)
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lynngun
11 years ago
I know what you mean about the growth. They do change how green and fuzzy they are based on how much water they are getting. I have not yet learned how to tell if it needs more water. I have heard about using orchid fertilizer on bromiliads with roots and soil. They have similar wild growing conditions from what I understand. I have no idea if it would work on tillandsias though. The amounts and ratios might be wrong. If it is good to use ( I don't know if it is) I would suggest that you try even less then half strength, just to be safe. I use some Tillandsias fertilizer that I got on Amazon.

I am not an expert on Tillandsias and am still learning with my own. If some one knows better than me please chime in.

L.G.
wildhyacinth thanked lynngun
raxidor
11 years ago
Nice plant, it looks like t. bermejoensis or maybe t. hondurensis. Despite having thick succulent leaves, this type of tillandsias likes frequent watering when weather allows it. And it appreciates having some shade over the day, not full sun.

About fertilizing - orchid fertilizer is ok, 4-10x diluted once per 3-4 weeks over summer season.
wildhyacinth thanked raxidor
wildhyacinth
Original Author
11 years ago
Ooh, I just googled it. I hope it's T. hondurensis, those flowers are stunning! If it likes more shade, I can move it back to my desk. I thought it wanted more sun so I moved it to the living room.

When you say 4-10x diluted, do you mean 1/4 to 1/10 of the strength recommended on the packaging?
wildhyacinth
Original Author
11 years ago
Oh, and the orchid food in question is an Algoflash 4:6:6 liquid fertilizer.
raxidor
11 years ago
If you have your plant indoors, let it be in the bright room. I have my plants outside on east oriented balcony, so they are getting few hours of direct morning sun and then shade for the rest of the day.
And that fertilizer - yes, 1/4 to 1/10 of recommended strength on the bottle.
wildhyacinth thanked raxidor
wildhyacinth
Original Author
11 years ago
Ok, I'll leave it in the living room then. I think it looks really nice on the end table, and it seems to get plenty of light. Thanks, raxidor! =)
User
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
T. hondurensis or T. chiapensis. As for the different forms of ionantha, 90% of the names given to the plants are pure gimmickry made up to entice the buyer, they are not recognized. Best to concentrate on which country/state it was found.
wildhyacinth thanked User
wildhyacinth
Original Author
11 years ago
Good to know. Thanks, gonzer! =)
User
11 years ago
Anytime Wild.