Do Tillandsias offset after blooming? How soon do they die?

kwie2011

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

How soon after blooming do Tillandsias die, and do they offset between flowering and dying?

I've been browsing eBay listings ever since I discovered these plants recently, and I find many listings are for plants in blush, in bloom, or post-bloom, and one seller even says the plants might be done flowering and might have some yellow leaves due to "lack of oxygen in the (shipping) box." What?? I'm thinking leaves probably yellow from senescence.

I'm new to these plants, so maybe there are things I don't understand, but shipping monocarpic plants after bloom, and claiming leaves turn yellow from "lack of oxygen" for a few days in a box sounds very sketchy to me.

Featured Answer

debbyabq

9 years ago

Yep, avoid that seller. You are likely to get better plants if you shop at a site that actually specializes in selling Tillandsias (there are quite a few, from some with a fairly good selection to others with many different plants). Sometimes they, too, will offer blooming plants, which means the plants are mature probably, but they won't lie to you about lack of oxygen.

Hmm, maybe we should start a thread talking about Internet-based Tillandsia sellers?

Plants that have bloomed and the blooms have faded usually begin pupping quickly, sometimes even before blooming (or maybe we missed the bloom if we were away a few days?), but some plants bloom and then don't pup, which I think is the exception to the rule (I'm thinking it was a Concolor that failed to pup after blooming for me), but most do pup and some also offer seeds. The mother plant will hang on for as long as she needs to, to make sure the pup(s) have a chance on their own, then she'll fade and it's obvious she's ready for the compost pile. This process takes most often months, but maybe years, too.

Ionanthas are usually fine puppers, as are soft gray strictas, caput medusa, aeranthos, bergeri, and many others. Several Internet-based vendors have good descriptions of their plants and can help you decide. Do a web search for "Tillandsias" and you'll not only get sellers, but sites that simply like to tell you about the plants.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

raxidor
9 years ago
I think it depends mostly on species. Some do pups even without blooming, others while blooming and many after blooming. It usually takes less than 3 months after blooming to produce pups and the mother plant lives next 1-3 years. So buying healthy blooming plant should be safe.
But that statement about yellow leaves you mentioned definitely is sketchy. That person might want to sell weak or ill plants, I wouldn't buy them.
kwie2011 thanked raxidor
kwie2011
Original Author
9 years ago
Am I understanding right that after blooming, some Tillandsias live another 1-3 years? That kind of blows my mind. I must learn more about monocarpic plants.
Related Professionals
Pensacola Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Victorville Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Quincy Landscape Contractors · Frederick Landscape Contractors · Saint Joseph Landscape Contractors · Galveston Landscape Contractors · Madison Landscape Contractors · Missoula Landscape Contractors · Olympia Landscape Contractors · Covington Architects & Building Designers · Gaithersburg Architects & Building Designers · Waco Architects & Building Designers · Cleveland Architects & Building Designers · Provo Architects & Building Designers · Vancouver Architects & Building Designers
gonzer2
9 years ago
"But that statement about yellow leaves you mentioned definitely is sketchy. That person might want to sell weak or ill plants, I wouldn't buy them."

I'll second that remark 100%
kwie2011 thanked gonzer2
kwie2011
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks, everyone. Thank you, Debby. That's really helpful information. I could've web surfed for hours and not found that.
PRO
Lars/J. Robert Scott
9 years ago
You can order tillandsia from Rainforest Flora. I bought most of mine there, but I always visit the store in person, as it is only 15 minutes from me. In addition to retail, they wholesale plants to many nurseries in SoCal. Everything I have gotten from them has been very healthy and has grown well, but then the plants did not have to travel far. The people there are very helpful, and you can also call them.

I have at least on Tillandsia that makes pups from the center of the flower, and it creates a leap-frog or chain appearance and only makes one pup at a time. Most of the rest of my Tillandsia have grown fairly large clumps and require reattachment when they get too heavy, except for the ones that are in plastic pots with no soil.