Tillandsia House Air Plants Lichens

[estación seca]

I've read of people pollinating long tubular flowers with a cat's whisker, or a long piece of plastic pulled from shade cloth.

[kg5]

Hi estación seca.

Sorry am so late answering!

Yep the whole area of seeds and my own T. X crosses is an issue I need to be getting into.

Have collected some pollen but the timing of doing the pollination is still a mystery. In a few more flower seasons should have the knowledge to have a go at my own X seed.

[kg5]

This winter has been so mild that the Tillandsia are not flowering. They usually flower in early winter as most seem to do. Hoping for some colder weather for 3 to 5 days to help me with flowering. Hopefully the cold winds at the end of winter beginning of spring will take place this year. Some plants in the last week have started giving me a few flowers.

These plants are 3 years old and it is their 1st real attempt to flower.

Image T. Houston



T. bulbosa does very well here and they enjoy a bit more water than most. This is one of my wife's favorite Tillandsia's.

Image T. bulbosa

[kg5]

Tillandsia califano a cross from T. baileyi x ionantha mexico. It grows very well here.

Tillandsia califano in flower.

[kg5]

Purchased over 500 small pups of Tillandsia utriculata var pringlei about 5 months ago. It was the beginning of winter. A couple of dozen plants have grown at a very fast rate. All the plants have put on good size.

Tillandsia utriculata var pringlei

[kg5]

This is one of my favorite Tillandsia. They are difficult to find in numbers but have an order in for a large amount of very small plants.

Image of a very nice bunch from my favorite seller. He really does spoil me! They are a very small miniature Tillandsia. The image shows that these are very old plants because of their size. They also have flower spikes

Tillandsia tricholepsis



---------- Post added at 02:50 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:44 AM ----------

Image Tillandsia baileyi in flower.

[kg5]

My bush house guardian. The one who keeps the chooks out of my bush house. Finally I have proof that this is the cat hideout hammock. Normally do not see him until I accidently water him.

The truth be known My wife comes 1st, then the 2 cats, then the 5 chooks and then me!

[kg5]

It has been a huge growing season and we are only half way through it.

Tillandsia chiapensis is a plant that I was told that I would not get to grow properly here.

Well I have had so many pups from pups that it is now impossible to count how many I have. Even the mature plants have had pups. But no flowers or pink tinge to the plants. The pups are a beautiful bright dark green. Will try and get an image tomorrow.

Have finally got a great Tillandsia wholesaler being the biggest. So I can plan to buy my size plants at a great price. Have one other wholesaler but they are very limited to what they grow & the plants are very small. The new contact has a very nice large selection of plants at 2 different sizes. Bush house 3 & 4 are nearly finished. Very timely!

[kg5]

Tillandsia Samantha - (T. mooreana X kalmbacheri )

Have managed to get 40 good looking plants. They are a very new hybrid and still quite rare.

T. samantha

[kg5]

Watering Tillandsia is very much to do with where and what time of year you are watering them.

In summer I water only by using a hand held sprinkler and give them a quick drink every day or every 2nd day. Always very late in the afternoon. With this type of watering the Tillandsia seem to like the best and grow the most quickest. Within a couple of hours into the night they are dry again.

In winter I still water by hand but I water early in the morning once a week or once every 2nd week. I do this so they are dry before the cold of the night gets them. Have lost most of my plants from them not being dry in cold weather.

The other big advantage my Tillandsia have solid shade cloth so the watering can be controlled.