Family: Bromeliad
Sub-Family: Tillandsioideae:
Genus: Tillandsia
Sub-Genus:
Native distribution: T. jucunda is a native to Argentina, Bolivia where it grows as an epiphyte on trees at altitudes from 1,800 - 2,800 ft. It is a naturally occurring hybrid of and T. tenuifolia. The term “swarm” is used when naturally occurring hybrids become a defined species.
Seed parent: T. ixioides
Pollen Parent: T. tenuifolia
Habit: The plant grows as a compact form. With time the plant grows into clumps
Foliage: The thickish, stiff leaves are relatively short have a distinct channel 4 -8 inches long and have a dusting of silver trichomes which can form in fine bands across the leaf.
Flowers: T. jucunda has a simple rose-pink inflorescence crowned with small yellow fragrant flowers that are not as vibrant as T. ixioides. The flowers are short tubular shape, that extend from individual bracts, they have confined stamens, and the petals are slightly keeled.
Seed:
Pups:
Cultivation: Like many Tillandsias with similar leaves and growth habit T. jucunda is a hardy plant an can withstand hot dry conditions and direct sun which makes it adaptable and easy to grow.
Fertilization: A mist every week with Epiphyites Delight or Epsom salts during the growing season will help the plant.
( Epiphyte’s Delight fertilizer was developed for a special reason. Nitrogen promotes foliar growth. If you have Tillandsias, Orchids, or other epiphytes and you feed them, take a look at the nitrogen content. If it’s high in urea, the plants can’t use it because the urea needs a bacteria in soil to break it down into ammonia and nitrates. Since the epiphytes don’t have any soil they can’t break down the urea. It was for this reason that we had Epiphyte’s Delight formulated. It contains only ammoniacal and nitrate nitrogen which is immediately accessible and usable by the plants.)
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