Unusual tillandia flowers will decorate any interior. This amazing evergreen perennial, spread from South America, attracts attention not only by the diversity and forms of foliage, but also by the way to grow without roots. Agree, a huge green hat with a bright flower looks in a very special way on any wooden or wire hanging stand without a flowerpot. But there are varieties that are cultivated in the traditional way. Some of them have highly developed stems, others are completely absent, others have unique foliage. In nature, there are about five hundred species of this wonderful plant. Consider the ten most beautiful of them.
Unevisable (Tillandsia usneoides)
Tillandsii usneevidnuyu called called "Cyanea" or "spanish (louisian) moss". A characteristic feature of the species is an unusual soft filiform stems of light color that cling to the trunks of trees or tall shrubs. The plant does not lead a parasitic way of life, but uses neighboring vegetation as a support. To the best of growth, tillandsia builds up young shoots and loses the dead bottom. These epiphytes are especially beautiful in their native rocky areas in Bolivia, where they climb to a height of 3.5 m.
Did you know? Karl Linney believed that the new plant Caraguata is afraid of water and is protected from it by scaly plates on the leaves. In connection with this factor, which, as it turned out later, was erroneous, the culture was renamed Tillandsia. This name was given to her in honor of the professor of medicine, "the father of Finnish botany" Elias Tillands.
Botanists deny belonging tillandii usidene to mosses, despite the resemblance, it does not multiply disputes, and vegetatively. Its spread is facilitated by the wind, which picks up the ripe grains, transferring them to new areas. Despite the fragility of the stalks, the plant easily takes root in areas that other colors seem very unfavorable. Its scaly leafy plates are the main source of nutrition. Through them, the flower from the external environment receives the necessary moisture and nutrients. At the peak of the growing season, dull bluish buds appear from smoky-green thin stalks of the cap.
Silver (Tillandsia argentea)
This type of tillandia is classified by the scientists to the atmospheric group, which develops in a rootless way. Externally, the plant has a narrow long leaves of silver color that grow randomly. At the base they are slightly expanded, and curved at the tips. Depending on the cultivation region, in the period from June to August a long peduncle with a small yellow bud is poked out of the base.
Important! With indoor tillandsia cultivation in summer, the recommended temperature is 19-20 ° С, and in winter - within 13-18 ° С. The flowerpot reacts poorly to sudden temperature changes and drafts.
From a distance, the culture resembles a folded shred of dried leaves of timothy grass. It lives on tree trunks and rocks. Loves well lit areas without direct ultraviolet. In the apartment such copies are better placed in the north-eastern or western windows. In summer, it can decorate balconies and terraces.
Perennial flowers such as aster, carnation, bluebell, rudbeckia, heliopsis, coriopsis, gelenium, monarda and chrysanthemum, as well as tillandia, grow well in well-lit places.
Sitnikova (Tillandsia juncea)
Tillandsiya titanic is a small epiphyte, height from 25 cm to half a meter. A specific feature of the culture is collected in a bushy rosette reed foliage green. During the budding period, an elongated purple bract with small lilac-violet flowers appears from its panicle. It prefers very wet rooms, because it feeds on leaves. Do not tolerate dry and cold air.
Blue (Tillandsia cyanea)
Tillandsiya blue differs from other types of epiphytic group by narrow leaves collected in a rosette, resembling cereals in shape.
Important! When breeding tillandsii layings wait until they throw out the first roots. When separating the babies from the maternal outlet, proceed carefully in order not to damage the weak root processes of the stem. Slices should be disinfected with any fungicide.
A characteristic feature of tillandia blue foliage is the purple-brown color at the base and brown striation along the entire length. Like other members of the genus of grassy epiphytes from the Bromeliad family, Leaf plates have subtle scales that help the plant get the necessary moisture and nutrition. In the hot season, the crop throws out an elliptical spikelet with a flattened base and lilac-pink small bracts. Of them, small blue-lilac flowers with a rhombic petal form gradually appear from the top to the edge. At the same time, no more than 2 buds can flaunt on the spikelet.
Sticking out (tillandsia stricta)
The variety is distinguished by dark green leaf plates in the shape of a narrow triangle, from 7 cm to 20 cm long and from 0.5 cm to 1 cm wide. At the base they are gathered into a thick basal panicle. From it appear short peduncles with spike inflorescences. They are arranged in a spiral order oval bracts of various shades. Often they are pink or bright red. The lower bracts look very impressive, which is much longer than the rest. They slightly cover the delicate buds with bluish or purple petals.
Important! Tillandsia is very sensitive to attacks of scutes, various fungi and bacteria. Therefore, having seen atypical transparency of foliage, dark points and plates on it, immediately proceed to treatment. Insecticides (“Aktara”) will save the flower from parasites, and fungicides (“Fundazole”) from fungi and viruses.
Tricolor (Tillandsia tricolor)
Tillandsiya tricolor is characterized by linear green leaves, collected at the base of the outlet. Their length can vary within 20 cm, and width -1 cm. On the back side of the foliage bluish tiny scales are noticeable. At the time of budding from a foliar panicle, a long upward sprout appears. In some forms of this variety, the inflorescences are simple, while others are spicate or complex. Over time, the bracts in the form of an elongated oval are plucked out of them. Their uniqueness lies in different tones that simultaneously appear on a green background of foliage. The upper ones are usually light green, the middle ones are yellow, and the lower ones are bright crimson. In this color extravaganza appear small purple flowers with diamond-shaped petals.
Epiphytes are plants that grow on other plants. In addition to tillandia, they also include: orchid, guzmaniya, Decembrist (Christmas tree, zygokaktus), Achmea, Platicerium and Vriesia.
Tillandsia ionantha
The violet tillandia is easily recognizable by a neat silver foliage outlet with curved edges. In the summer its top turns red. In the same period low spikelets appear with violet-blue buds. From a distance, it seems as if a large red flower with green sepals and a blue heart grew from a stand.
Did you know? Once in his student days, when Elias Tilland had to sail from Stockholm to Turku by the sea, he was very sick. It was the last sea trip of the young man. On the way back, he preferred to travel home by land 2000 kilometers (instead of 300 km) along the Botanical Bay. Since then, Tillander has been called Tillland, which translated from Swedish means "by land", "land".
Head of a jellyfish (Tillandsia caput-medusae)
Tillandsiya "head of jellyfish" forms a small dense bulb, consisting of the bases of the foliage. The top of each leaf plate is curved down or to the side. The plant receives the necessary portion of moisture through the leaf sinuses on the bulb. It is there that accumulates the necessary supply of water that flows down the leaves and is absorbed. The "head of the jellyfish" blooms with purple spike-shaped inflorescences of complex shape, within which small blue flowers appear.
Duer (Tillandsia dyeriana)
This species looks very elegant due to the peduncle, the length of which is twice the size of the plant itself. It reveals a loose spike inflorescence with rich red bracts. Under the weight of the flowers, the arrow forms an arc. The wide oblong foliage of this species of tillandsii is bright green with a slight smoky shade. There is no stem.
Linden (Tillandsia lindenii)
This species of tillandia has many similarities with the blue variety. The main difference between them lies in the color of the bracts. In Linden they are pale pink or carmine-scarlet, and the flowers have blue petals with a white "asterisk". The leaves are linear, collected in the outlet of 30-55 pieces. Plant length does not exceed 25 cm.
Did you know? Tillandsia belongs to a small group of plants in which after the flowering the maternal basis dies, and the children continue to develop.
In the house such a wonderful flower without a root and a stem will find a place in a flower pot, and somewhere on a wooden, stone ledge. Terrestrial species that are distinguished by their green foliage are used to decorate terrariums, bottles, or grow in small containers. But epiphytic tillandsii, which are characterized by gray leaf plates, do not need soil at all. They can be hooked onto a growing bush, tree or stone base. You and your guests will be surprised at such a miracle.
