Just Airplants

Tillandsia, are arguably, one of the most fascinating plants in the world, having adapted to a wide variation of conditions and habitat ranging from forests, mountainous regions to more arid areas. They are native to the Americas and can be found from the Southern USA all the way down to Argentina and Chile in South America and the Carribean. Each species has evolved to suit its environment as can be seen in the range of leaf structures and the textures of the plants themselves. With over 500 identified species plus cultivars and hybrids on top it is the largest genus of the Broimeliad family of plants. The most widespread of the Tillandsia genus is the species Tillandsia usneoides which can be found growing from South Virginia in the USA all the way down to the southern countries of South America.

The genus Tillandsia was named after the 17th Century Scandanavian botanist, Ellias Tillandz. Legend has it that Elias Tillandz was so called, because as a student, travelling between Turku to Stockholm, he became so seasick on the outward journey that he walked back - a distance of over 1000 kilometers. The Swedish word "tallands" translates as "by land". 

Most Tillandsia grow without soil and take all of their nutritional and water requirements through their leaves, via filaments known as trichomes. They make use of airborn particles such as dust, dead plant matter and other nutrients from the atmosphere. Most Tillandsia are epiphytes (grow in trees), although some can also grow terrestrially (in soil) or saxicolously (on rocks and cliff faces). There are some species that grow on cacti, most notably T. cacticola. Those that do grow in soil do equally well without it. With a few notable exceptions (for example Tillandsia usneoides) all airplants have wiry roots. The roots are used to attach the plant to a host plant or to cling into cracks and crevices and are not used to draw any nutrition. It is common practice to trim off the roots of an airplant and there is no evidence that this is detrimental to the health of the plant. Although most Tillandsia grow epiphytically on a host plant, they are not parasitic, however it is possible that the sheer weight of some Tillandsia colonies can damage their host. In some areas, Tillandsia are viewed as being pests and/or weeds because of this.

Although usually kept domestically for their architectural appeal, all Tillandsia flower at least once in their liftetime, with many flowering more than this. The most typical flower is a purple grape-shaped waxy flower that appears on any number of spectacular bracts depending on the species, however Tillandsia flowers are not limited to this one colour with many producing yellow, red, white, pink, orange or blue flowers. Some flowers are short-lived, lasting just a few days, but others can last for weeks, if not up to a year. The bracts often last for many months before losing their vivid colouration. Some Tillandsia "blush" prior to flowering in some instances with the whole plant changing colour. Blushing colouration can range from bright red to tinges of pink or lilac to almost black depending on the species of Tillandsia. Some species will blush all year round if given a sufficient light source.