Plant profiles
Tillandsias Story and photos by Carol Ann Harlos
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BOTH ABOVE: Tillandsias
ou probably have heard of “air plants,” or tillandsias. Tillandsias naturally grow in drier areas of the southern U.S. to parts of South America. You may have seen “Spanish moss” growing on trees (thus the term “epiphytic” meaning “on a plant”) in Florida or purchased some for use in wreath making. Spanish moss is not really a moss but one of the many species of tillandsias. Spanish moss, like all tillandsias, loves humidity and grows tiny flowers since it is an angiosperm. Tillandsias are bromeliads (related to pineapples) and are also monocots related to grasses and lilies. Tillandsias are unique as they only open their stomates (leaf pores) at night to release oxygen, the byproduct of photosynthesis. This prevents water loss that would occur in the heat of the sun. At this time they also pick up the carbon dioxide necessary for photosynthesis occurring in the daytime.
16 | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020
There are hundreds tillandsias that can grow without soil and require just the barest minimum of care. Tillandsias absorb water through their leaves through hairlike structures called trichomes. Those commonly grown in homes are often called “aerophytes,” as they seem to live on air. The form of all tillandisas is really some type of rosette made up of overlapping leaves which accumulate dust particles. In a home these might include skin cells, hair, pet dander, bacteria, dust mites, bits of dead bugs, soil particles, and pollen. These make up the nourishment needed by the plants. The minute roots serve as anchors instead of absorbing water. (This is important as I have met people who killed their tillandsias because they soaked the roots which subsequently rotted!) I have tillandsias in both north and south windows. They thrive in both. The light is bright and the temperature changes little, which
