Family: Bromeliad
Sub-Family: Tillandsioideae
Genus: Tillandsia
Sub-Genus:
Native distribution and habitat: T. tricolor is an epiphytic Tillandsia native to Mexico, Nicaragua and Costa Rica that grows at high altitudes from 1,100 m to 2100 m.
Growth habit: Many scaly grass like leaves form an erect dense rosette up to 18 inches high. The growth habit is negative geotropic.
Foliage: The bright green leaves have castaneous (dark brown) leaf sheaths (bases) and, interestingly, the transition between the two has many small brown spots that dot the green leaf blade. The leaves are stiff and become red in the center at flowering time. While they are wider at the base they tapper to a fine point. The out leaves tend to all away from the main rosette in a recurved manner.
Flowers: T. tricolor forms a tall, handsome sword like yellow inflorescence where the bright purple violet flowers emerge from either side.
Seed:
Pups: Pups form from the base of the plant on a short stolon which separates the offsets from the mother plant.
Cultivation: This is an easy resilient plant to grow and can easily adapt to a wide range of locations. After flowering, the pups from at the ends of scaly branching stolons or rhizomes. Dale W. Jenkins of the Sarasota Bromeliad Society suggests the species is hardy with survival and little or no damage at -3 °c for several hours.
Availability: A common plant, often available.
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