Does Anyone Know Tillandsia flexuosa 'Viviparous Form'

[kg5]

This was previously called T. flexuosa var vivipara. It originates in Venezuela growing down to almost sea level.

Does anyone have experience growing this tilly in the sub tropics?

This form throws a long inflorescence bearing red flowers, after flowering pups form along the peduncle (Flower Stem) similar to Keikis on orchids.

As this plant is from very low altitudes, it is perfectly suited to the tropics. In sub-tropical areas it must be grown in a protected area, + if in colder areas, provide heat over winter

[estación seca]

After looking photos up online, I just realized my mother, in coastal southern California, has this without a label. I have several rosettes here in my sunroom, taken from an old inflorescence on her plant.

I don't know why there's a separate var. vivipara since almost all individuals of this species seem to grow plantlets on the inflorescence. It's extremely widespread, from southern Florida into South America, which suggests it's easy to grow.

My mom has a climate similar to Perth - mediterranean, coastal, essentially no frost. It gets under 5C / 41 F regularly in the winter. I don't think any Tillandsias mind low temperatures above freezing at night so long as they warm up a little the next day.

She is close enough to the coast that she gets dew almost every night of the year, even in summer. If she lived farther inland she would need to water it throughout the summer. Her plant grows in a plum tree almost without care, except she waters it during dry periods.

The leaf bases have small reservoirs so it must be adapted to growing in somewhat dry areas.

Hope this helps.

[kg5]

Thank you for the reply estación seca.

Have a hot spot along the wall that faces the sun in my tilly house. The 1st meter or yard is hostile ground on the top shelf. Can add a bit of shade cloth specifically to cool this area down a bit. Have picked this tilly for this area.

That info of your is great as it covers a fair bit of ground. It also sounds like it might grow a number of pups at one time.

My tilly buying is now getting into the danger zone for me as at $20 per mature plant it makes the risk so much higher.

[estación seca]

The pups develop all at once, dozens of them. The stem remains alive a long time as they enlarge. Mine were a good 5" / 12.5cm across when I took them.

I was never able to keep alive Tillandsias, indoors nor out, over the summer. Others in Phoenix report the same. Mark Dimmitt, in Tucson, Arizona, with slightly more summer humidity and slightly lower temperatures, reports he soaks his in a sink overnight once per week. Since getting an evaporative cooler for my sunroom they have done well.

I think Tillandsias in cultivation die from one or more of three different problems: insufficient light, insufficient water/humidity, and too high night temperatures.

In habitat they get full sun to bright shade, and tropical bright shade is brighter than northern American or European summer sun. I have always been surprised they are sold as terrarium plants. Do people really keep them alive for long under such low light conditions?

Extra watering can compensate for low humidity. Many see high summer humidity and frequent summer rain in habitat. They cannot go long without water in warm dry air. Cool dry air, as many see in winter in habitat, seems OK for some time, even with plenty of direct sun.

Hot summer nights are our problem in Phoenix. Tillandsias, like many succulent Bromeliaceae from areas with cool nights, use C4 metabolism. They open their pores to respire at night; their respiration does not function well much above 85 F / 29C. They suffocate at higher night temperatures, being unable to respire. My swamp cooler, bringing night temperatures down to 80 F / 27C, lets them survive.

[kg5]

Very interesting.

Our tilly's are position on a water front, opened to our cooling N/E summer winds straight onto the tilly's shelving. No shade cloth on the East & South wall so it lets the cool breeze bring our temp down. Our summer is 90f or 34c with 90% humidity.Nights staying at 75f or 25c This summer has been really over the top heat wise and a humidity that sends people agro because there tried from not being able to sleep properly.

Have found most of the tilly's I am after. Good strong growers.

Have managed to grow a number of tilly's where I am over the last 3 years. With the extended real hot weather only had trouble with 1 tilly being T. incarnata. But is looking good again sine I gave them more shade and bit more water seemed to help them. All the rest seem be very happy.

[estación seca]

There are rock dwellers, and those growing on treetops, that experience full summer sun. There are sand dwellers with some sunny days and foggy nights. But many small ones grow on branches of deciduous trees. They have bright shade and plenty of summer rain, then a brighter, cooler and drier winter. And there are some growing on branches of evergreen trees.

I don't know enough about most of them to know which come from which kind of situation, but this might be good to know. Habitat photos would help, or asking somebody who knows the plant in habitat. In your situation, perhaps you could move a known hot and sunny grower to your hot spot, and move the struggler into more shade.

I have observed, almost without exception, Tillandsias attached to the undersides of twigs, then growing up above the twig. They sprout in the shade of the twig.

[estación seca]

This is what I believe may be Tillandsia flexuosa.

[kg5]

This is part of the image from the listing.

Will list all my tilly's after the visitors. So many light differences in shade positions in tilly house.

[epiphyte78]

estación seca, your Tillandsia kinda looks like Tillandsia secunda. It's by far the most common viviparous Tillandsia here in SoCal. It gets a lot larger than the viviparous flexuosa.

I ordered my viviparous flexuosa from Tropiflora a few years back and it's done quite well outdoors.

[estación seca]

This came originally from Tropiflora but doesn't have a label now. I haven't seen the flowers.