Family: Bromeliad
Sub-Family: Tillandsioideae:
Genus: Tillandsia
Sub-Genus:
Native distribution:
Native distribution and habitat: T. plumosa is an epiphyte found growing in dense silver masses in the forests of Guerrero, Hidalgo, Michoacan, Morelos, Puebla, Oaxaca, Veracruz, southern Mexico, at altitudes of 1,300 - 2,600 m.
Growth habit: While the plant is small in size it forms an attractive globular rosette with leaves so festooned with white trichomes it appears to glisten in the sun. The growth habit is negative geotropic.
Foliage: The foliage is stiff and projects outwards from the centre of the plant like rays of light from a star. The fine thread-like leaves are covered with hair like trichomes that are set off from the leaf axis at right angles.
Flowers: A scape projects out from the centre of the plant and above the leaves. The few flowers (1-3) are violet fading to a green as the petals dry.
Seed:
Pups:
Cultivation: Like many xeric Tillandsias the plant should be regularly misted but allowed to completely dry in summer and with-hold water in colder months. Allowing the stem of the plant to sit horizontally or slightly down discourages water to collect in the centre of the plant.
Availability: A rare plant.
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