Tillandsia - home care, photo

Tillandsia(Tillandsia) - an exotic flower having an original form and interesting coloring. A genus of herbaceous evergreens from the Bromeliad family, named after the Swedish professor E. Tillands - the creator of the Botanical Garden at the University of Helsinki. It is found in nature in the mountains and tropical forests of South America. He lives at home for about five years.

It grows slowly, reaching 0.3 - 0.6 m. Tillandsia blooms from early autumn to January with bright blue flowers surrounded by flat bracts that look like an ear of raspberry or fiery color. Narrow long (up to 30 cm) leaves are painted in green or gray. Suitable plant for florarium.

The beneficial properties of tillandsia

Tillandsia concentrates energy in itself, coming from the external environment (people, objects), improves it, and generously distributes positive charges during flowering. The energy of the flower is directed from the roots to the stem; surrounding leaves and flowers with an invisible spiral, it spreads around the plant with powerful energy flows.

Near him there is a surge of strength. The flower is of great benefit by purifying the air and absorbing extraneous noise in the room. In South American countries, furniture is woven from hard leaves, and pillows and mattresses are stuffed with them.

Tillandsia home care (briefly)

Tillandsia at home Needs to observe basic rules of care:

There are features of growing tillandsia. Tillandsia can grow in the ground, and can be an epiphyte and attach to tree trunks, rocks and other supports. You can grow a flower on a piece of bark, having previously cut a hole in it. A flower is inserted into the hole, the roots of which are covered with sphagnum. In winter, the plant has a resting period in a humid room. At this time, it can be placed in the florarium.

Tillandsia home care

Tillandsia flower at home does not require special care, even a novice can grow it. But to create the necessary conditions for tillandsia - a tropical plant - to feel comfortable, is important.

Tillandsia bloom

Tillandsia at home blooms from early September to January. Flowering of an exotic plant is an impressive sight. Above the rosette of lowered elongated green leaves rise bracts painted in raspberry (orange, bright red) color. They form flat inflorescences, similar to a large two-row spike.

At the same time, 1 to 2 bright blue (violet) flowers may bloom. After the last flower fades, the peduncle retains decorative effect for some time. On the plant, up to 8 lateral shoots are formed. The next time they bloom.

Temperature mode

Home tillandsia loves warmly. Therefore, it is necessary to observe the temperature regime. In winter, the indoor temperature should not be lower than + 17 ° C, and in summer - from + 22 - 29 ° C. At night, the temperature should be slightly lower than during the day, but sudden changes should be avoided. In the warm season, the flower can be taken outside.

Tillandsia does not tolerate drafts, so you need to choose a place where they are not.

Spraying

In order for tillandsia to develop correctly, home care requires maintaining air humidity in the range of 60 - 87%. Daily spraying of the leaves is carried out with filtered tepid water.. Water should not fall on inflorescences and flowers, otherwise they will lose attractiveness

. Water should be stored in the leaf outlet. The soil is covered with wet moss. In winter, the plant can be placed in a mini-greenhouse - the florarium, where optimal humidity will be provided.

Lighting

Tillandsia feels best at home in a shaded place, especially on hot days, although it loves light. On a window facing the east or north-west side, tillandsia feels comfortable. In autumn and winter, the flower needs more light, so it is transferred to the west or southeast. Most preferred for the plant is diffused lighting.

Watering

In summer, abundant watering is required every 7 days under the root. In winter, tillandsia is watered sparingly when the topsoil dries out.

If there is water in the outlet, you can not water the soil. For irrigation take the settled water at room temperature. Sphagnum is placed on the ground to maintain moisture.

Tillandsia primer

Soil for tillandsia should be light and fertile. The soil mixture can be prepared independently by adding peat, sphagnum and sand and chopped charcoal to the garden soil. Tillandsia at home can grow well in the prepared soil for orchids, it can be bought in a store. Drainage should be good, at least 1/3 of the volume of the pot.

Fertilizer and fertilizer

Fertilizing and fertilizing are important for the normal development and preservation of the decorative appearance of the flower. Tillandsia needs to spray the leaves with 2 times diluted liquid fertilizer (you can pour the solution into a socket). They are fed every 2 to 3 weeks from spring to autumn.

You can use liquid fertilizer for orchids. Liquid fertilizers are diluted. Organics (infusion of mullein, humus) is not used at all. If tillandsia grows on the bark, then the wood, gradually decomposing, provides the flower with useful substances. Root dressings do not: this can harm the weak root system of the plant.

Tillandsia transplant

If the tillandsia purchased at the store blooms, one must wait for the end of the process: after flowering, the adult plant dies, it makes no sense to transplant it. The next time the plant is transplanted during the separation of children or to achieve stability of the flower in the ground.

Tillandsia transplantation into a permanent container is performed without deepening. The pot is chosen shallow, but quite spacious. The first week the flower is shaded and not watered. Transplant a flower is recommended every 3 years.

Pruning

Cropping - an important part of caring for many plants. Tillandsia has a low growth rate and a short growing season. The compact plant does not form extra whiskers and shoots. Only dried flower stalk can be cut. After this, the adult plant will die, but young sockets will remain, which they continue to care for.

Ease of care is one of the reasons tillandsia is becoming an increasingly popular home plant.

Tillandsia breeding

Tillandsia propagation is available in two ways - seeds or babies.

Reproduction by children

Reproduction by children - A popular option for obtaining a new plant instance. Children (lateral processes) are formed during the flowering of tillandsia.

• After flowering, in order to preserve the uterine plant, lateral shoots are separated from it, reaching 7-10 cm and forming roots.
• Places of separation of plants are powdered with powdered coal.
• The baby is planted in a mixture of sand and peat, taken in equal parts.
• Water and leave until completely rooted, and after 3 months transplanted to a permanent place.
• Two years later or a little later, tillandsia will bloom.
• If a flower has 1 shoot, it is left in a pot, and the dried up adult plant is removed. Epiphytes multiply more easily: they are divided into fragments, the roots of which are covered with moistened moss and inserted into a support.

Growing Tillandsia from Seeds

Seed propagation simple too.

• A peat-sand mixture is poured into the container.
• Seeds are put in moistened grooves (sprinkle with soil and do not need to be buried).
• Cover with foil and leave to germinate in a warm place (about + 25 ° C).
• The film is removed for irrigation and ventilation of seedlings.
• After a month, shoots will appear, when 3 leaves appear, they are planted. After 5 years, the plant will bloom.

Tillandsia propagation is easy, but choosing the first option, you can quickly see a flowering plant.

Diseases and Pests

Sometimes difficulties arise when growing tillandsia: diseases and pests attack the flower:

• tillandsia leaves become soft and lethargic - low temperature (rearrange in a warm place);
• rotting the roots of tillandsia - waterlogging of the soil (reduce watering);
• tillandsia does not form new outlets -Low nutrients (update the soil, feed);
• gray spots on the leaves of tillandsia - fungal disease (spray the leaves with a fungicide solution, covering the ground);
• the tips of the leaves turn brown - watering with hard water (watering with settled filtered water);
• leaves become brown or brown - root rot due to waterlogging (the plant dies);
• leaves die off - natural physiological process;
• slow growth of a bush in the absence of a bract - little light (rearrange in a brighter place);
• the flowers turned white -excess of light (pritenit);
• loss of turgor and discoloration of leaves - sharp temperature difference;
• calcareous leaflets - irrigation with hard water (take water that has been left standing and filtered at room temperature);
• brown spots on the leaves - sunburn (pritenit flower);
• discarded leaves - differences in lighting or temperature, root rot;
• leaves twist, wrinkle, die - lack of moisture.

Weakened tillandsia can be affected by pests: whitefly, scale insects, mealybug. The treatment of leaves with fungicide after wiping with soapy water will save them.

Types of Tillandsia home with photos and names

Of the 400 species of tillandsia, only a few are grown at home.

Tillandsia blue

The leaves are scaly green, reddish-brown at the base. Reach 0, 3 m. Bloom in summer. Inflorescence is a dense spike. Bracts are pink. Blue flowers bloom along their edges, starting from the top.

Tillandsia Anita

The hybrid variety is based on Blue. Scaly green leaves with a gray tint and pointed edges form a rosette. In its center, on a shortened stalk, a bright blue flower grows surrounded by pink bracts. It has no roots, receives moisture from the air, and nutrition - thanks to the sun.

Tillandsia is unshaped

Epiphytic variety. Silvery filiform leaves with a length of 5 - 100 cm cascade down. The popular name is "Old Man's Beard". Pale flowers of indefinite yellowish color. It blooms in summer.

Tillandsia tricolor

Green spiky leaves 20 cm long are covered with scales. In their dense outlet - 1 or more vertical peduncles. Leathery sepals are painted in a combination of green, yellow, red tones. A purple flower grows on a long (7 cm) stem. It blooms in summer.

Tillandsia is a spectacular exotic plant. It brings variety to the interior, emphasizes its feature. The simplicity of flower care has made it popular among gardeners.

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