Note that the purple flower tubes look identical to the flowers see on most ionanthas (though I have one that is flowering white/yellow, a Druid, I think). Similar flowers are one of the things that make them tillandsias. On the other hand, I have a Tillandsia andreana that has a pretty red flower complemented by the red blush of its thin surrounding leaves (see one at http://plantoddities.com/cgi-bin/p/awtp-product.cgi?d=plant-oddities&item=51451)

Photos of them in habitat show them growing upside down or sideways slightly upside down. That would explain the leafs looking to be able to grow whether the light hits them- like upside down.

It also would explain why they hate water running down into the top or tip of the plant.

I have T.butzii growing upside down..never been happier.

Here's an old clump of T.butzii at UC Berkeley. Behind glass to be kept cooler then the hot house ferns. Notice none are upright. Some angle to upside down...but not upright.

This is a bulbosa. it is impossible to overwater tillandsias as they simply stop drinking when they are satisfied. The danger is when "undrunk" water won't evaporate in time and cause them to rot.

So with bulb types, i recommend watering with a spray. Spray it quite liberally until it turns green from silver. Then shake away the excess.

Dunking it and other bulbous types can be dangerous as the crevices can hold water which simple shaking won't get rid of. So you end up with a rotten bulb tillandsia.

Stanofh, if I ever get Butzii again, they're going to know they live in a high desert climate. I got some when I first started collecting, and I must have overwatered them somehow because they fell apart. Over the last few years I haven't worried that much about watering (except Spanish moss) and most of my plants seem happy with spray every day or two, unless our temperatures are hot and very dry; then maybe I'll soak them for a bit. No pampered plants for me! :)

I just now realize that back on April 1, I typed "Ionantha" when I probably should have typed "Tillandsias". A lot of identical-looking flowers across all kinds of tillies.

I've had Debby, T.butzill for many years more or less. I have had them fall apart on me and I believe now its because I mounted them upright. Winter rains did them in. Since mounting another effort upside down- they've done great with longer leaves then ever before.

I really think all the fat bulbous Tillandsia's prefer that. Its why they have round leaves.

I have a fair-sized Seleriana I got last year and I immediately wrapped it loosely with enough flexible wire ("Smart Wire") to make sure its "leaves" point downward. Looks a little like a squid that way. I don't water it much either. I will do the same if I decide to try Butzii again. I'd love to order more plants but don't really need any (need versus want, which will win?), and currently (Friday through into Sunday) we've been having cold overnight temps and some parts of Northern New Mexico are seeing snow, including here in downtown Albuquerque where we got brief snow flurries. Spring is due to return tomorrow though, with a gently warming week to come (i.e., Spring for real maybe!), so I can put my larger Tillies, now to include the Seleriana, back out on my north-facing porch. If anything decides to bloom, it will likely confuse the hummingbirds :)