With more than 550 species, the fascinating Tillandsia genus means we are spoiled for choice. Botanists distinguish between green rainforest tillandsia and gray desert tillandsia. We have looked around at the best breeders and put together a selection of the most beautiful types and varieties for you.

The tillandsia cyanea is one of the most beautiful tillandsia species

Gray desert tillandsia - eye-catching and easy to care for

The following tillandsia species owe their name to a delicate, gray hair. In their subtropical and tropical habitats, they absorb the morning dew on epiphytic plants in this way. At their location on the bright window sill, care is therefore limited to regular spraying with soft water. From March to September, liquid fertilizer is added to the spray water, because the nutrients also get into the plant interior via the fine hairs.

  • Tillandsia xerographica inspires as a majestic exotic plant with a growth height of up to 30 cm and a silver shimmer
  • Tillandsia fuchsii var. gracilis develops a dense tuft of innumerable filigree leaves
  • Tillandsia capillaris 'holgeri' is one of the most robust species and can withstand light frost down to -5 degrees Celsius
  • Tillandsia usneoides attracts everyone's attention as Spanish moss with its long, densely woven shoots
  • Tillandsia balbisiana prefers to present its orange-red flowers in a hanging position

The Tillandsia caput-medusae is one of the top-class specimens within the diverse family of species. The medusa head boasts snake-like leaves and a growth height of up to 40 cm. Its narrow tubular flowers are blue-red in color and appear in early summer. Attached to wood or stone, the unmistakable tillandsia acts as a living decoration in bright, humid places.

Green Rainforest Tillandsia - Beautiful species for the windowsill

Green tillandsia species primarily thrive in the rainforest. They are flexible, because they grow epiphytically as well as terrestrially in light-poor, moist locations. You can cultivate the following varieties in a pot or attach them to a base without a substrate to decorate the east and west windows:

  • Tillandsia cyanea, one of the most beautiful species with magnificent flowers and uncomplicated care
  • Tillandsia albertiana, a typical rainforest beauty with strong, green leaves and red flowers
  • Tillandsia (Catopsis) morreniana grows bushy and compact with a height of 12 to 15 cm
  • Tillandsia bulbosa lets the filigree leaves sprout from a bulb-shaped trunk

The Tillandsia floribunda should not be missing in this multifaceted overview of species. This extraordinary species produces multiple flowers at once, rising above a dense tuft of leaves. Tillandsia punctulata thrives in a similarly furious manner, delighting us with a red-green inflorescence surrounded by purple bracts. With a growth height of up to 50 cm, this splendor cannot be overlooked even in poorly lit locations.

tips

Is your tillandsia keeping the longed-for blooms under wraps? Then place a fully ripe apple next to the procrastinating exotic and ideally put a transparent hood over it. The fruit gives off the ripening gas ethylene, which causes the tillandsia to flower within a short time.

Category:

Vegetable garden