Tillandsia fasciculata (Giant Airplant)

Tillandsia fasciculata (Giant Airplant) is an epiphytic perennial houseplant. It has stemless rosettes of hairy or silver-gray hairy, pale gray-green leaves. The Cardinal air plant blossoms with 10-50 flowered from the axils of showy, creamy yellow, reddish, orange to yellow floral bracts. The petals are violet or rarely white. They can be blooming and fruiting throughout the year, but most blossoming collections have been made in January and July at the beginning of the dry and rainy seasons. Mature fruits have been seen chiefly in the dry season. Tillandsia plants are epiphytes and need no soil because water and nutrients are absorbed through the leaves. The roots are used as anchors only.

Scientific Name: Tillandsia fasciculata
Synonyms: Tillandsia fasciculata var. fasciculata, Platystachys glaucophylla, Platystachys havanensis, Tillandsia beutelspacheri, Tillandsia glaucophylla, Tillandsia havanensis, Tillandsia insignis, Tillandsia macrostachya, Tillandsia pungens, Vriesea glaucophylla.
Common Names: Cardinal Airplant, Giant Airplant, Quill-leaf Airplant, Common Wild Pine, Clustered Wild Pine.

How to care and grow Tillandsia fasciculata (Giant Airplant)?

Light:

It thrives well in bright light, but not direct sunlight. A south, east or west window is perfect. They can also be grown under fluorescent tubes.

Mounting:

Tillandsia refers to be mounted on a solid substrate that does not retain water. You can glue the plant directly to the surface with a strong adhesive or you can wire the plant to the base. Don’t cover the base of the plant with moss or it may rot. It can be grown on almost any imaginable decorative mount, including shells, rocks, slate, driftwood, etc.

Water:

Water two to four times a week with a mister. If your environment is dry, mist daily. Water until the plant is saturated.

Temperature:

It thrives well in temperature between 70 degrees Fahrenheit to 85 degrees Fahrenheit / 13 degrees Celsius to 27 degrees Celsius. High humidity is a bonus.

Fertilizer:

Fertilize once every month with a low-copper liquid fertilizer, diluted to 1/4 strength.

Propagation:

Tillandsia fasciculata can be easily propagated by putting out offsets, or pups, from the base of the mother plant. When the pups are half the size of the mother, they can be divided and mounted on their own. Tillandsia fasciculata (Giant Airplant) can also be grown from seed, but this is a slow process that might take years.