Teresa's Plants & More Store

Airplants are the common name for Tillandsias (sometimes called "Air Plants"). Not all Bromeliads are Airplants. Airplants grow without soil while most types of Bromeliads do best in soil.

I have added this page because I will be selling both of these this year. Since we have the cedar wood here and the moss on our property it only seemed fit to sell these to be added to them.

I have used mine in photos and have been asked if mine were for sale...so now I will have some of both and you can buy some too. 

LIGHT
Lighting for Tillandsias should be bright but filtered (April - October). They should not be left in the direct sun in the summer months (this will cause the plant to become sunburned ). Tillandsias love direct sun (November - March). Tillandsias may be grown in the house directly in front of a window. Fresh moving air is advisable, but remember, the most important care need is bright filtered light.
BEWARE: Trees, overhangs and window tinting can rob your plants of needed light. Place plants no further away than 3 feet in front of a bright window.

ARTIFICIAL LIGHT
Full spectrum artificial light (fluorescent) is best. Plant should be no further than 36" from the fluorescent tubes and can be as close as 6". A four-tube 48" fixture works well. Bulbs can be any full spectrum type Gro-Lux, Repta-Sun, Vita-Lite, etc. Light should be set with a timer, 12 hours per day.

WATER
Thoroughly wet your Tillandsia 2-3 times per week; more often in a hot, dry environment; less often in a cool, humid one. Plants should be given enough light and air circulation to dry in no longer than 4 hours after watering. Spray misting is insufficient as the sole means of watering but may be beneficial between regular waterings in dry climates to increase the humidity.
If the plant is in a shell, be sure to empty the water out.  Tillandsias will not survive in standing water.
Under-watering is evidenced by an exaggerating of the natural concave curve of each leaf.

AIR CIRCULATION
Following each watering, Tillandsias should be given enough light and air circulation to dry in 4 hours or less. Do not keep plants constantly wet or moist.

TEMPERATURE
Optimum temperature range for tillandsias is 50 - 90 degrees F.

FERTILIZER
Use  a Bromeliad fertilizer (17-8-22) twice a month. It is GREAT for blooming and reproduction! Other water-soluble fertilizers can be used at 1/4 strength (Rapid Grow, Miracle-Grow, etc.) if Bromeliad fertilizer is not available.

TILLANDSIAS IN VIVARIUMS AND OTHER ANIMAL ENCLOSURES
Enclosures must have at least one side of screen mesh. Full spectrum fluorescent lighting is Ideal full spectrum incandescent lighting will be sufficient when care is taken to avoid placing heat producing bulbs too close to plants The higher the wattage, the more distance should be used to avoid burning or heat-damage to plants. Good air circulation and proper watering schedule must be maintained.

MOUNTING TILLANDSIAS
Mount plants on almost anything, - Driftwood, manzanita, seashells, coral, lava rock, crystals using a non - water soluble glue such as E-6000 Adhesive. Set plants on the prospective mount. If you like the arrangement, proceed. Place adhesive on mount, and then place plants onto that area. Larger plants may be supported with fishing line until glue dries. Cover exposed adhesive area with sawdust or sand to camouflage.

LIGHT

Lighting for Tillandsias should be bright but filtered (April - October). Tillandsias love direct sun (November - March). They grow best in a greenhouse or a frost - protected, shaded patio. They also can be grown in the house directly in front of a window. Fresh moving air is advisable but remember the most important care need is bright filtered light.

WATER
Thoroughly wet your Tillandsia 2-3 times per week; more often in a hot, dry environment; less often in a cool, humid one. Plants should be given enough light and air circulation to dry in no longer than 4 hours after watering.

TEMPERATURE
Optimum temperature range for tillandsias kept outdoors is 50 - 90 degrees F.

FERTILIZER
Use Bromeliad fertilizer (17-8-22) twice a month. It is GREAT for blooming and reproduction! Other water-soluble fertilizers can be used at 1/4 strength (Rapid Grow, Miracle-Grow, etc.) if Bromeliad fertilizer is not available.

What Are Bromeliads?

Bromeliads are members of a plant family known as Bromeliaceae (bro-meh-lee-AH-say-eye). The family contains over 3000 described species in approximately 56 genera. The most well known bromeliad is the pineapple. The family contains a wide range of plants including some very un-pineapple like members such as Spanish Moss (which is neither Spanish nor a moss). Other members resemble aloes or yuccas while still others look like green, leafy grasses.

In general they are inexpensive, easy to grow, require very little care, and reward the grower with brilliant, long lasting blooms and ornamental foliage. They come in a wide range of sizes from tiny miniatures to giants. They can be grown indoors in cooler climates and can also be used outdoors where temperatures stay above freezing.

How can you grow a pineapple plant? See the link here. How to grow a pineapple plant from the stalk you cut off

Another interesting article on mounting Bromeliads.....

The reason I prefer to mount pups is because they form different kinds of root systems when they are mounted. When mounted, they will form a small number of hard, strong roots that just serve as holders and do not provide nutrients to the plant. When grown in soil they form large, soft root systems which provide additional nutrients to the plant. If you choose to mount a plant that has already formed the soft root system, the mount should be able to accommodate the plant's root ball. This root ball should be covered with sphagnum moss and will need to be watered regularly to continue the nutrient flow to the plant.

Once I have selected my mount and plant I must decide the best way to achieve a good firm fit. This is important because roots will not attach to the mount if the plant is loose. Larger plants are easier to mount if they have stolons. I attach these plants by nailing two staples around their stolons into the mount. Several sizes of staples are available to accommodate the different sizes of stolons. I use juniper or cedar mostly which is so hard that I have to drill holes for the staples to penetrate deep enough to hold the plant tight. I will use some pantyhose strips on larger plants for extra support. When using tree fern slabs or cork bark it is best to put holes in the mount and tie the plant on using plastic coated wire.

Most of your smaller tillandsias can be attached by only using hot glue, liquid nails or plumber's goop. You can also use these to secure any existing roots on all your mounts. When using the hot glue be careful not to damage the plant. Apply the glue to the mount and allow to cool a few seconds before pressing the plants roots against it. Do not glue the tender part of the plant above its roots.

Now that you have the basics, all that is left is to practice. Each mounting you do will be better than the one before; each artistic masterpiece will please you more than previous one.

see the entire article here Mounting Bromeliads

Frequently asked questions on Bromeliads Here is a great questiona and answer section!

Bromeliad Flower Family Blooming Information Overview

Many factors cause bromeliads to bloom such as plant age, day length, light intensity, water and temperature. Some bromeliads bloom quite regularly while others do not. Research on the flowering process has shown that bromeliads can be induced to flower by exposing them to ethylene gas (a product of burning wood and leaves and ripening fruit and vegetables). After exposure to ethylene gas, the flowers appear, depending on the genus involved, within 6 to 14 weeks. A simple method that a home gardener can use to start bromeliads’ flowering is to place a healthy, mature plant with all the water drained from its cup inside a tightly closed, clear plastic bag for a week to 10 days with a ripe apple. During senescence (aging process), the apple releases ethylene gas that, in turn, induces the bromeliad to flower.

Another Great link for these beauties!

 LIVE Spanish Moss

 Here I have used the live spanish moss in my tank that has my narrow mouthed frog and yellow spotted salamander. You can see the moss and bromeliads are very happy together.

You can get a quart bag of this in the web store for $4 Web Store Items

General Characteristics

General: Pineapple Family (Bromeliaceae). Spanish moss is a native, perennial epiphytic herb. It is not Spanish, nor a moss, but a flowering plant. The slender, wiry, long, branching stems (reaching 8m or more) grow as suspended, bluish-gray streamers and garlands draping among tree branches and sometimes telephone lines and fences. The plant and is not parasitic, as is often thought, but attaches itself to trees for support. The plant has no roots but derives its nutrients from rainfall, detritus and airborne dust. The stems and leaves are covered with overlapping silver-gray scales, which are important for absorbing water and trapping dust and nutrient particles. It is thought that these plants may play a critical role in nutrient cycling. The very narrow, linear, awl-shaped leaves (2.5 to 8 cm long) are whitish gray. Numerous, small, solitary blue or pale green flowers with three petals (6 to 8 mm long) grow in the axils of the leaves. The flowers, which bloom for a period of three to four months from spring to fall, form interesting seeds (2.4 to 3 mm) with hairy sails that float on the wind and stick to tree branches.

Required Growing Conditions

Spanish moss is native to the Southeastern United States and Tropical America. For current distribution, please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site.

Habitat: Spanish moss grows on trees in areas of high humidity. It can be found on live oak and pines that border estuaries, rivers, swamps, and along the coastal plains of the Southeastern United States.

Cultivation and Care

Spanish moss may be propagated by seed or by division. The plants are very easy to grow, as they need no soil or transplanting, requiring only warmth and moisture. They are grown in greenhouses or outside in warm climates. The plants need temperature of 70 degrees or warmer in the summer and not less than 60 degrees in the winter. The plants grow well in full sunlight to partial shade. To propagate by division, place divided plantlets on bark slabs in areas with plenty of light and moisture. Mist plants regularly with lukewarm water. Spanish moss rarely blooms in cultivation.

General Upkeep and Control

Although Spanish moss does not take nutrients from the host tree it should be thinned if it becomes too thick. This is because it may either shade the tree’s leaves or, when it is wet it can become very heavy and the branches may break under its weight.