Tillandsia - paleacea

Description: Tillandsia paleacea is native to Columbia, Chile, Bolivia and Peru where it grows on desert sands at altitudes of sea level up to 3,000m. This is a caulescent (stem growing) plant which produces succulent, velvety, silver foliage. Because of this, the plant is about as close as it gets to a "don't water me" species, and will often rot if the conditions do not let it dry out quickly after watering. The plant develops a long inflorescence spike which produces fragrant, Astor-violet flowers. T. paleacea will produces many offsets from the back growth of it's stem, quickly forming a large clump. It is suggested that the species is cold hardy, surviving temperatures down to -3 degrees Celsius.

Position: We do not recommend this plant be grown indoors, as there will not be enough airflow or sunlight for it to thrive. We also recommend hanging / mounting this species so it can dry out quickly after watering (to avoid rot). They should receive bright, indirect sunlight. We recommend positions such as under a tree, in a shade-house, or in a covered outdoor area such as a deck or patio.  When positioning outdoors in colder states, protection from frost is required, so keep this in mind.

Watering: As a general rule, a plant in a hot position will require watering every 2-3 days. In a dark, humid environment watering once per week can often be adequate. This can be achieved by misting or dunking the plant. If outdoors, a hose can be used. When dunking a plant, leave submerged in a bowl of water for 10-20 minutes before shaking off excess water. Air plants love to dry out completely between each watering and must never have water sitting at their base as this will cause the plant to rot.

Fertilisation: We recommend fertilising your Air Plants once a fortnight in the warmer months and once a month through winter. We sell Air Plant Fertiliser in our "Décor" section and this bottle can be diluted to create 1L of fertiliser.

Each living plant is unique and may vary slightly in size, colour or shape depending on the season. Flowering plants are sent when available.