It looks like multiple leaves are damaged and that might be a bad sign. It's difficult to say what caused that - might be sunburn, but most frequently it's incorrect watering. The damage is irreversible. If the plant is still ok, you can only wait for new leaves to grow.

I've never thought it would be that bad. Everything still looks firm, though. Only those spots and dried tips. As for dry tips, I saw it pretty often on tectorum photos. It's not normal, then?

The seller said to water it once a week. But my place is a lot cooler than his area. Could it be because of the sudden change of temperature? Would warm it with LED lamp help? Should I stop watering for a while, then? How do I know a tectorum needs water aside from dried tips on the leaves?

Info at this site:

http://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/BROMELIADS/Family/Bromeliaceae/28139/Tillandsia_tectorum

may be of interest. Tectorums are "cloud dependent", which to me means they get a lot of their moisture from fog (which their trichomes would catch). Hmm, I just discovered the site where this info comes from; I'll have to see what else they have related to tillandsias!

I should have added that I have bought some from a local nursery where one of the employees has become interested in Tillandsias (I've also bought some on line with less success). Local ones have been $12/each [same for online] for medium size (about golf-ball size). I have them hanging under a light fixture consisting of a cool white fluorescent and a grow light fluorescent. I mist them occasionally, and less rarely dunk them briefly in my fresh-water aquarium. They seem happy.

Thanks a lot, Raxidor & Debbyabq for your suggestions. I've read some of last posts and tempted by Gonzer's method in watering tectorum;i.e. once a month. But since tectorum (well, most tillandsia, actually) is expensive here, I don't have the courage to try :) I wish tectorum were $12 here, too :)

Thank you :)

Looks fine. I have one that was given to me at the size of a thumbnail. THAT was smashed and dry,and I wasn't sure if it would even live. SO far,I see more good by the day. Its a Charlie Brown Tillandsia.

Watered every other day.

:) It is sure hardy! I hang it outside now, and at a place where it gets sun. Albeit only less than two hours in full sun, but at least it's a dry place and bright. Only, it keeps swinging because of the wind. I wonder if it's okay & can grow roots moving around like that.

If you want it to grow roots so you can try mounting it on something, I'm sure it will try naturally. It may think there is something right nearby that it can cling to (rocks, tree branch), so it may slowly do what you want (if you want roots). It looks quite happy in your picture.

:) I don't really want roots. Only I've read somewhere that if a tillandsia grows roots, it means it's a healthy kid. I just want to be sure it's okay with its place now :)

Hi everyone.

Kanama Ace - I'm not a "tilly" grower specifically, but I do have a few plants which friends have given to me.

A couple of these I have had for years and they are very healthy; they flower annually, and grow happily just suspended from a bit of plastic coated wire hanging in my shade house.

The growers who gave them to me said they rarely put out roots and this is how they should be grown as they are a true example of an "air plant" (as Tillandsias are commonly called).

I wouldn't worry about it "swinging" due to the wind as you say; your plant looks perfectly healthy and the plants I have move round with the wind also and it doesn't seem to hurt them.

If however you wish to mount it on a piece of wood or some other object; like any other bromeliad, it must be fastened securely so that it can't move otherwise any new roots will be broken off during movement and won't be able to grow onto the mount.

All the best, Nev.

Wow, I hope one day my air plants will be as happy as yours, growing, flowering and all. I'm new. I only have baby tillies at home & a (seemingly) grown ionantha that refuses to bloom. There are a lot of things I need to learn about the plants. Wish me luck :)