The Plant Lady

A latecomer to tillandsia love, some plants take a little more time than others to appreciate. Air plants describe them well, types of bromeliads, these are the kind that collects their food and water from the air, there is no central water trough, no real root, and no need for soil. You can find them in tropical regions of the world and as far north as southern Virginia, the most northern range for Spanish moss, which is the most common and well-known tillandsia. Some orchids and other bromeliads can also live on tree branches or in a cliff hollow, they have a small root system but collect their nutrients through their leaves, and we call them epiphytic. In tillandsias alone, there are 6,000 species, mostly found in South America and Mexico.

Just over a year ago, I sampled a few on a windowsill where I laid them in pots with other houseplants. East facing, the water they receive is from my infrequent watering of the houseplants with occasional misting. They have thrived, expanded, and even flowered with nothing more. My opinion rose, so satisfactory and straightforward, a thumbs up.

My second nod to their tenacity came when I noticed hairy phone lines in Oaxaca, Mexico. Elegant little hairy tillandsia clusters were literally growing on the utility lines, attached by a wiry root that was only there to grip the wire, everything else supplied by the air around them. A marvel of nature, I decided it was time to explore air plants further.

The third and maybe most impressive encounter came at work where I seasonally build holiday arrangements. A small collection of tillandsia sat in my workspace as my purchase of the day. Many comments were made, assumptions that they were destined for a creative addition to a holiday bouquet. The thought had entered my mind. In response, seven or so small tillandsias were delivered to me, having been placed in a dark closet in July and forgotten, there were pronounced dead and available for experimentation, gold glitter, fake snow, that sort of thing. Upon inspection, I realized that they were very much alive, barely changed from their imprisonment, delighted (I'm sure) to be saved. Clearly, this was a most impressive tale of survival and not an experiment anyone should try.

Of the many species, they can be roughly split into xeric and mesic. The xeric environment is dry, often a desert climate, the tillandsias may have fuzzy leaflets to help with moisture retention. Mesic tillandsias are from habitats with more moisture, perhaps a tropical forest. All tillandsia have trichomes or modified scales on their leaves, which control the amount of sunlight and water that are absorbed. The trichomes are also capable of changing their angle to increase or decrease reflectivity, saving them from sunburn or allowing more light in when it's compromised. Root systems are primarily nonexistent; their sole purpose is to anchor the plant to their host, which is nothing more than support; they are not parasitic.

Within this vast and beautiful world of tillandsias, you can find species with fragrant flowers, showy foliage, big and tee tiny sizes. With their small footprint, a windowsill can house many, and care is little more than misting or dunking them in the water when you water your houseplants.

I've become a big fan and have plans to add more to my collection. Fortunately, they are not hard to find at local nurseries that offer tropical plants. They get two green thumbs up from me.