The Beauty of Air Plants

Sharing my love of tillandsias - growing them in Ontario, Canada

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March 24, 2019 - Tillandsia loliacea, so tiny but seems to be doing great, two new flowers 😊

[beautiful-tillandsia]

March 17, 2019 - Hello again! I've been very neglectful in keeping this blog updated. We have survived another winter hibernation and spring is very near! My air plants cannot wait for some brighter daylight and summer humidity. They've all had a bath and now are ready to get back to their home.

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Aug 15, 2018 - Update on my tillandsia seedlings. They are starting to show leaf separation!

[beautiful-tillandsia]

Aug 4, 2018 - Yesterday I got a new order of air plants. I love the tillandsia gardneri (with its soft slender leaves) and edithae (almost my namesake). I thought the caput medusae and harrissii are naturally coloured like that, but I should have known better - it's just plant-safe paint.

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July 27, 2018 - My tillandsia funckiana is going to be a grandma! Its baby is trying to grow its own little one 😄

[beautiful-tillandsia]

July 25, 2018 - My tillandsia magnusiana. The reason it looks so sad is because several months ago it was unlucky enough to become the interest of my cat (it was drying unsupervised on a towel). All its beautiful leaves got eaten 😭. However, it seems that a bit of fresh air and bright light this past month has really perked it up :)

[beautiful-tillandsia]

July 24, 2018 - Look at this fluff ball 😍 I'm so proud of the long healthy leaves it is putting out, more light in the summer must be doing the trick.

[beautiful-tillandsia]

July 23, 2018 - I think there’s some progress in my tillandsia seeds! Most of them are starting to bulge out (see the green part?). I spray the tissue twice daily to make sure they stay moist during this early period of germination. I also cover them with a plastic wrap to increase humidity. I already had to replace the paper towel once, as I noticed some black mold starting. That can kill these weak seedlings.

[beautiful-tillandsia]

July 10, 2018 - So this is what I find when I get home from a two week vacation, the little green pod that has been sticking out of one of my ionanthas turns out to be a seed pod! We have had extremely hot/humid days last week and I guess that was finally enough to dry the pod out and release the seeds! Germinating tillandsia from seeds is a very long and tedious process, but I will give it a shot. I have read the seeds need warmth, humidy, and light to germinate. We’ll see if a moist paper towel and sunlight on the balcony does the trick.

[beautiful-tillandsia]

June 14, 2018 - Look at how pink these two are after their bath. A few weeks in the morning sun has made them blush. Hopefully I'll be rewarded with flowers.

[beautiful-tillandsia]

May 31, 2018 - Tillandsia crocata, one of the few air plants that have fragrant flowers. I hope a bit of sun and fresh air will result in this one flowering. T. crocata is an adorable air plant, since it pups like crazy and has very soft leaves due to the trichomes.

[beautiful-tillandsia]

May 29, 2018 - I love the new leaves that start to emerge from the centre.

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May 28, 2018 - It's amazing how air plants brighten up exposed to a few hours of morning sun per day. However, it's important to be aware that some tillandsia can burn in direct sunlight. You'll know this by brownish marks on the leaves where the sun hits them.

[beautiful-tillandsia]

Mar 19, 2018 - Look at this big T. funckiana. Mine has a ways to go!

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Mar 17, 2018 - Baby tillandsia at the National Home Show/Canada Blooms.

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Dec 2, 2017 - fairy lights in a glass globe, magical.

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Oct 23, 2017 - Celebrating 3000 followers with this cutie!