- How does the water supply work?
- Should a Tillandsia usneoides be fertilized?
- Is pruning part of the maintenance program?
With its long, filamentous shoots and substrate-free growth, the Tillandsia usneoides catches everyone's eyes. The unorthodox habit rightly raises the question of whether the epiphytic bromeliad comes along with equally eccentric demands on care. Read here how to properly water, fertilize and cut Spanish moss.
The Tillandsia usneoides must be sprayed with water regularly
How does the water supply work?
Since a Tillandsia usneoides does not have any roots worth mentioning, it is usually attached to a base or cultivated in a free-floating manner. Keeping without substrate requires a modified supply of water. That is how it goes:
- Spray with water once a day
- Mist the entire plant with a fine spray
- Do not spray in direct sunlight
- Alternatively, immerse in room-warm water once a week
Please only use soft water with a low lime content. Collected rainwater is perfect for simulating natural conditions.
Should a Tillandsia usneoides be fertilized?
Tillandsia usneoides absorbs nutrients through its tiny leaves. Therefore, add a liquid fertilizer to the watering or submerging water weekly during the summer growth phase. In winter, the fertilizer intervals are extended to 4 to 6 weeks. A commercially available plant fertilizer is just as suitable for this purpose as a special fertilizer for bromeliads.
Is pruning part of the maintenance program?
The epiphytic Tillandsia usneoides does not know a shape and maintenance cut in the classic sense. However, it may be necessary to remove dead parts of the plant to make room for fresh shoots. Therefore, thin out the bromeliad at the end of winter. Please use an extra sharp, clean knife. Take the withered shoot in one hand, push it outwards and cut it off.
tips
The Tillandsia usneoides enters into a congenial partnership with freely hanging, substrate-free Vanda orchids. The dense network of shoots and leaves is tied into the aerial roots of the orchids. In this way, the tillandsia species acts as a natural curtain that protects the Vanda from blazing sun and drought.