Tillandsia care without roots: atmospheric, usneiform and others + photos of species

Tillandsia transplant, containers and substrate

For tillandsias, only containers that are wider than height are suitable. Plants develop specifically, growth and daughter rosettes replace the maternal ones, and growth occurs mainly in width. The root system of tillandsia is powerful, but not bulky, and in deep containers the plant can suffer from waterlogging and disturbance of comfortable conditions.

The substrate for these plants is chosen from among loose, drained soil mixtures with a coarse fiber texture. For tillandsias, special soil mixtures for bromeliads or orchids are ideal, but you can also compose the soil yourself on the basis of equal parts of deciduous soil, humus and peat with additions of sphagnum, fern roots and pine bark.

A transplant for epiphytic species is not carried out at all (they are sold fixed on a stone, bark or tree and grown on the same basis without changing), and for potted species it is carried out only after the volume of bushes completely fills the free space (the plant grows in breadth to the walls of the pot and roots will begin to peek out of the water drain holes). Potted tillandsia can remain in one container for 2-3 years, during which it is only necessary to replace the top layer of soil in early spring every year.

If a transplant is needed, the plant is removed very carefully, carefully replacing the soil, trying not to injure even the slightest roots

The rhizome does not hold the tillandsia well in a loose substrate, therefore it is necessary to compact, apply the soil, paying attention to impart stability to the rosette of leaves

Tillandsia blue (Tillandsia cyanea). Anita sheffield

Top dressing, transplant

In order for tillandsia to grow well at home, you need to periodically feed it. As an experienced gardener, I recommend using preparations made for orchids or bromeliads. Such products contain the necessary supply of trace elements, but they do not contain copper and boron, which are harmful to tillandsia.

Tillandsia, like any ornamental plant, does not tolerate transplanting well. It is recommended to perform the procedure 2 times every 12 months. The substrate should be renewed if necessary. If the tillandsia refuses to bloom and its roots creep out, a dive should be performed.

The plant can be replanted in the spring, but a fresh substrate must be used. Dive the tillandsia into a wide flowerpot. As for the substrate, you can prepare it yourself by taking:

3 parts of humus soil;
1 part moss;
1 part of refined sand.

Peat can be added to improve the properties of the mixture. If you don't want to prepare the soil yourself, buy a potting mix that is designed for orchids. In order for the plant to fully feed, a drainage layer must be laid at the bottom of the planting container. I recommend using tree bark.

The transplant is very simple. The plant is carefully removed from the previous container, its roots are freed from the old soil mixture. Then the tillandsia is carefully transplanted. After diving, be sure to add water. Depending on the species and variety, tillandsia flowers can be:

blue;
purple;
yellow;
red.

Tillandsia is beautiful during flowering!

Possible growing problems

In addition to insects and infection, the culprit for the loss of the beauty of a flower is most often errors in care. Providing favorable conditions avoids growing complications.

Pests

Weakened plants can be attacked by:

scale insects;
whitefly;
mealybugs;
aphids.

Ladybugs help to cope with harmful insects. To do this, the plant must be taken out into the air. Besides:

cut off damaged leaves;
thin out plants;
washed foliage with soapy water;
wash off small pests with a strong stream of water;
use insecticidal preparations.

At low room temperatures and excessive humidity, epiphytes are prone to fungal and viral infections. The problem is revealed in appearance: the foliage becomes transparent, dark spots appear on it. The plant is treated with fungicides.

Views

There are many varieties of this plant. But at home, as a rule, these types of atmospheric tillandsia are grown:

Usneiform, or fly-shaped. An atmospheric plant, devoid of roots, which clings to a support with thin tendrils. The length of the stems reaches only 15-20 cm. The narrow leaves of the subulate culture are covered with thin whitish hairs. In summer, modest yellow flowers appear on the tops of young shoots.
Silver. This tillandsia differs from other species by the thickened base of the rosette, which resembles an onion. The thin and threadlike leaves of the variety are cast in silver in the sun, for which it got its name. It blooms with small red-blue buds.
Bootsy. An original variety that resembles a tangled bundle of emerald wires. The leaves of the plant are heterogeneous: with thin tips, and widening towards the base. The culture reaches up to 60 cm in height. It blooms in large tubular buds with pinkish bracts and purple petals. Unlike its "relatives", Tillandsia Bootsy releases babies even before flowering.
Andre. An ornamental variety with slender, backward-curved leaves with gray or brown down. Reaches up to 25 cm in height.
Medusa's head. This species really looks like a mythological creature. It has swollen, strongly curled leaves that resemble tentacles. The plant produces a flat, bright pink flower stalk on which blue buds form.
Violet-flowered. This species looks like exotic corals. The plant has small rosettes, reaching no more than 5 cm in height and width, and thin curved leaves. The most unpretentious species that clings to any support and survives in almost all conditions. In the summer, before flowering, the inner leaves of the culture acquire a bright pink color. It produces spike-shaped buds of a blue-violet hue.

Each of these varieties will become an interior decoration. But for this you need to create comfortable conditions for the plants.

Diseases, pests and methods of dealing with them

Tillandsias are quite resistant to diseases and pests, but a home microclimate with low humidity levels often causes leaf dryness and the development of mottling on the plates. The main preventive measure is sufficient hydration. Leaf spotting and blackening causes fungus. If 1-2 leaves are damaged, then the diseased fragments must be removed, and the outlet must be treated with a fungicide. A completely affected plant must be disposed of.

Scabbards, spider mites or mealybugs can spoil the plant. When they appear, it is recommended to wash the tillandsia in a soapy solution, and then arrange a warm shower. If these measures do not work, it makes sense to apply biological insecticides: "Aktofit", "Fitoverm".

It seems to many that the content of atmospheric tillandsias requires some kind of special knowledge.You only need to know one thing - what conditions the flower requires and try to create them. And then the exotic will delight you with its decorative appearance for many years, cause admiration and decorate the house.

Possible problems, the main breeding method

I recommend keeping the tillandsia in a spacious, well-ventilated area. If the plant breathes fully, it develops good immunity and becomes resistant to disease.

Tillandsia atmospheric blooms in February or early March. It so happens that the plant does not form flowers. In this case, it is necessary to apply a growth stimulator from a spray bottle. Thanks to this treatment, tillandsia will bloom within a month.

Despite its endurance, tillandsia is fragile and sensitive. Be careful when using a growth stimulant. Most gardeners propagate the crop by dividing the bush. The daughter plant, which is 2 times smaller than the mother plant, is carefully separated and planted in the soil mixture. Seed propagation is rarely practiced, as it takes a very long time.

When and how it blooms

Tillandsia blooms unusually and beautifully. First, it releases an ear on which bright buds bloom alternately. The color range and size of the buds are different for different varieties.

Types of flowers

Ear buds bloom one by one. Bracts are pink, purple, red, yellow, orange, lilac, thanks to which tillandsia always looks dazzling.

Flower shapes

On tillandsia, a bright peduncle is formed, usually crimson-pink in the shape of an ear. Each flower has three petals in bright blue, blue or purple shades. Flowers bloom in turn. During this period, up to 20 of them can open. They fade quickly. As they dry, they are cut off.

Flowering period

It blooms in summer, less often it can happen in autumn and even in winter. The bud opening process can take up to two months or more. At this time, the moisture and condition of the leaves are monitored.

Tillandsia in bloom

Additional Information! Rootless varieties bloom once in their existence, and this happens two or three years after planting. Forming buds, they throw all their strength into the formation of young shoots, and they themselves die.

Plant care at home

Caring for an exotic flower is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance, however, for successful development and flowering, it requires conditions close to its natural environment.

Lighting and air temperature

Atmospheric tillandsias are light-requiring. In nature, they settle in the upper part of the crown of trees, where there is enough light, but at the same time, the foliage covers the shoots from the scorching sun. At home, a flower needs at least 14 hours of diffused light every day, and in winter, additional lighting.

When kept in glass containers and florariums, direct sunlight should not be allowed - the flower can get burned and die. Tillandsias also do not like drafts. The optimum temperature regime for them is + 23 ... 27 ° C. A temporary increase in temperature to +30 ° C and above stimulates the flowering process. In winter, it is necessary to ensure that the reading on the thermometer does not drop below +18 ° C.

Atmospheric tillandsia - light-loving crops

Humidity and watering regime

Watering the epiphyte is carried out by immersing it in water together with a stand for 20-30 minutes. In the summer, this procedure is carried out 2-3 times a week. When the temperature drops, from autumn to spring, moistening is carried out by spraying the leaves every 5-7 days.

In terms of humidity, indoor tillandsias adapt well to 45-50%, in which case they do not have rot. However, the ideal humidity level for them is considered to be 70-80%. It is difficult to provide such conditions indoors, especially in summer, so the air must be humidified at least twice a day by spraying water over the leaves and around the plant.

Top dressing and fertilizers

Top dressing should be done carefully.Since the soil is not used, there are no bacteria that process fertilizers into an accessible form for assimilation.

Complexes with a high content of nitrogen, trace elements, infusions of droppings or mullein are not suitable for Tillandsia. Even special fertilizers marked "for bromeliads" should not be used.

Mineral fertilizers for epiphytes or orchids are best suited in a dosage 4 times less than indicated in the instructions. It is necessary to feed the culture in spring and summer with a frequency of 1 time in 2 weeks. Leaves are preferred, but fertilizer can be added to the water for irrigation. Remember that a lack of fertilizer is not harmful to the flower, it is much more dangerous to overfeed it.

For feeding, mineral fertilizers for epiphytes or orchids are suitable.

Soil selection and replanting

The peculiarity of atmospheric tillandsias is that they do not need soil for life and growth. Plants are attached to a stand made of pieces of wood, fragments of branches, bark, roots. For better fixing of the rosette, you can make a pillow from coconut fibers or sphagnum.

It is important that the material of the stand is natural and can be immersed in water

The tillandsia transplant process is simple. In the stand, you need to drill holes into which you can thread an elastic thread or soft wire. The plant must be pressed with the root inward and fixed in place of the root collar, then sprayed.

Theoretically, tillancy can be attached to any support, but in the pursuit of beauty, one should not forget about the comfort of the plant. The currently fashionable compositions on crystals, in glass balls, and bottles look impressive, but on a smooth unnatural surface the flower does not develop well and does not bloom.
Author's advice

Planting an atmospheric variety

Video: What atmospheric tillandsia looks like and its roots

Atmospheric tillandsias do not need soil. Plants are attached to snags, untreated bars or felt. You cannot use materials treated with chemicals, varnishes, paint, only pure natural ones will do. Flowers bought in the store and already attached to the stands do not need to be transplanted. Only children are seated, which will grow after flowering.

Planting stages:

Choose a stand. The simplest and most beautiful solutions: tree bark with a piece of wood, a fragment of a branch or root, a small wicker basket. It should be borne in mind that tillandsia will have to be immersed in water together with this stand, that is, water should easily penetrate inside and drain quickly.
Decide on the location. The stand must harmoniously fit into the interior, while at the same time it is necessary to create the conditions that Tillandsia prefers. Pieces of wood can be hung from the wall. To do this, a hole is drilled in the upper part, a wire is threaded through and a loop is made from it.
Press the tillandsia to the support with the root collar, with the root inward. To make the plant more comfortable and easier to gain a foothold, place a soft pillow made of coconut fibers or sphagnum moss between the spine and the stand.
Fasten the plant with a soft elastic thread or sheathed wire, preferably in the color of the stand or plant.
Spray from a sprayer and position or hang.

The head of Medusa is attached to a piece of wood with bark using a rubber band with roots to the bark

Tillandsia should not be often untied and tied just because you do not like the stand, as well as carry it from place to place, turn it with different sides to the light.

Tillandsia care at home

Watering

Tillandsias of any kind are watered by immersion in water together with a pot or support for 20-30 minutes. At the optimum temperature for this plant, the procedure is carried out 2-3 times a week. Potted plants can be watered in the center of the outlet, but make sure that the water does not stagnate. After 20-30 minutes, the excess is drained. In addition, the whole plant is sprayed twice a day, and in florariums - twice a week.

In the warm season, the support, soil in a pot or florarium should always be moist. In winter, if the temperature has dropped, watered as the surface dries. Curling leaves along the vein is a sign of dehydration. In this case, tillandsia is immersed in water for 3-4 hours.

Top dressing

Tillandsia should not be fed with fertilizers with a high content of nitrogen, boron, zinc and copper. Universal fertilizers for indoor flowers, as well as organic matter in the form of infusions of mullein, grass and droppings are excluded. There is no soil in the tillandsia soil, which means there are no bacteria that convert nitrogen into a compound available for assimilation. Even fertilizers for Bromeliads should be treated critically, giving preference to those that contain the minimum amount of these elements. For example, “Master Color of the Archidea” will do, but “Bona Forte” has a lot of nitrogen, the “Pure Leaf” mixture has a high content of zinc and boron. You cannot spray with Epin, treat with Kornevin and other growth stimulants! Tillandsias grow very slowly, so in the spring and summer it is enough to feed 1-2 times a month. Lack of feeding is not harmful, it is much more dangerous to overfeed.

Bloom
Video: Blooming Blue Tillandsia

Tillandsia blooms only once in the second or third year of life. After that, she gives all her strength to the education of children, and she herself dies. The flowering plant looks very exotic. The buds on the spike open one after the other, each flower does not last long, but the general flowering can last several months. After the last bud has bloomed, in some varieties the spike retains its decorative effect for a long time. Therefore, the peduncle can be left and cut off. The mother plant will gradually die on its own.

After flowering, you also need to continue to care for the plant and monitor the growth of children. One tillandsia produces 3–8 lateral offspring. The next flowering will have to wait from them.

Tillandsia and winter peace

Winter. Tillandsia on a window without vents and a draft

In winter, when placed near a window, rest occurs naturally: there is little sun and heat, the soil dries out less often, development stops

It is important to remember the temperature limits for keeping tillandsia. This tropical plant does not tolerate cold and drafts.

A window with a vent is not suitable for winter accommodation. If the flower is transferred from the window into the room, then illumination with a conventional phytolamp is necessary. Also, during the heating season, air humidity is greatly reduced (up to 45%), so the plant will have to be watered and sprayed even more often.

Do you need pruning?

Tillandsia is a very compact flower with a short life cycle. She does not have superfluous whiskers, shoots and leaves. You can only cut the peduncle, but this event is not of great importance, since the entire mother plant will die after it. However, instead of him, there will be several young outlets, so the care continues. Some growers use a dried ear as a handle for carrying, for example, for "water treatments".

The only thing that can be cut off from tillandsia is an old peduncle

Transfer

Tillandsia should be transplanted into a more nutritious substrate only if purchased in a store, if it does not have a peduncle. The rosettes formed after flowering are transplanted.

The volume of the flowerpot should correspond to the size of the roots - be wide and small. It is filled with a mixture of pieces of bark and natural granules with the addition of coconut fiber and river stones. Atmospheric plants are attached with an elastic, easily removable tape to a small surface. Suitable for them:

fragments of wooden materials;
pieces of driftwood for tillandsia;
coconut fiber;
felt material.

The flower is placed in a flat pot.

Important! During the first week after transplanting, the plant should not be moistened

Tillandsia is a plant that does not need soil

Tillandsia is native to the tropics and subtropics.In the wild, it grows in equatorial Africa, in the southern states of America, as well as in Chile, Argentina, Mexico. Plants belong to the Bromeliad family, and their main feature is 100% epiphytes. Tillandsia live on trees and snags, which they cling to with small hook roots. These flowers take water and food from the air with the help of special scales (villi) on the leaves.

Tillandsia in the wild

There are many species, differing in size (from 5 cm to 3 m), the shape of the leaves and flowers. Typical colors: pink stipules and blue, blue, purple, pink, less often yellow flowers. But all the diversity can be divided into two groups: atmospheric and terrestrial (herbaceous). Each species needs moisture, but the requirements for light and heat are different.

Atmospheric tillandsias live in the upper part of the crown of trees

Atmospheric tillandsia grow on the branches of the upper tier, usually hanging down, have filamentous gray leaves. This species loves bright sun and coolness. And terrestrial ones settle on the lower part of the trunk, fallen trees, snags and stones covered with moss, that is, where there is less light, it is calm, which means it is warmer. Outwardly, they look like ordinary indoor flowers, have green leaves collected in a rosette, and a small root system.

Terrestrial tillandsia

Despite the exoticism, indoor species of these "Tropicans" are easy to grow at home. They need minimal care, the main thing is to find a suitable place and provide high humidity.

Video: What are tillandsias

Reproduction

To obtain a new plant, tillandsia is propagated at home. This is done in two ways:

Children. The procedure is carried out in the spring or summer. Lateral shoots are cut from the mother plant, which have reached 8-10 cm and have 4-6 leaves. Sprinkle the place of the cut with crushed charcoal. The separated seedlings are placed in a container with soil. They are placed in partial shade and watered regularly. The first flowering occurs after 2-3 years.
Seeds. Buy seed at a flower shop. A mixture of sand and peat is poured into the container, and seeds are placed on top. Then moisten and cover with a film. Keep in a warm and lighted room, periodically ventilate and moisturize. Seeds sprout after a month. Seedlings grow very slowly, and the first flowering occurs no earlier than 5 years later.

Atmospheric tillandsia reproduces much more easily. It happens as follows:

From an adult mother plant, a shoot of any size is cut off and tied with threads to pieces of wood, which are then suspended from the wall with a wire.
The flower is pressed against the support by the root collar, inside the root. A coconut fiber pillow is placed between it and the stand.

After fixing, the plant is sprayed with melt water. It is not recommended to change the location of the flower.

Tillandsia epiphytes: atmospheric, usneiform and others