Description
Tillandsia carrilloi, also known in the trade as Calavera, is genuinely rare in cultivation. We’re offering just a few offsets from our mother stock, along with seedlings that will take another 5 to 7 years to reach sellable size.
About Tillandsia carrilloi
In the wild, carrilloi grows only on cliffs in Guatemala’s Chiquimula region, at elevations of 800 to 1,000 meters, alongside cactus and other rock-dwelling succulents. That restricted range is part of what makes it such a collector’s plant. A flowering specimen reaches 24 to 35 inches tall, with sharply triangular, densely grey-scaled leaves 16 to 22 inches long.
The inflorescence branches into a compound spray of spikes, each carrying violet-purple flowers that fade to whitish as they age, blooming from November into January in habitat. The offsets we’re offering will resemble the single mother plant shown in our photos. Its close relatives zacapanensis and circinnatoides share a similar look, but carrilloi is distinguished by its narrower, more brittle leaf texture and its far more restricted range.
Growing Tillandsia carrilloi: Care Guide
Because carrilloi grows on exposed cliffs in the wild, it wants bright light and excellent airflow in cultivation too. Soak for 10 to 14 days, then invert and shake out any trapped water; this species has no tolerance for sitting wet.
Feed sparingly with diluted TillyBoost Fertilizer about once a month. Mount it on rock or a dense piece of wood to mimic its native cliff habitat; see our Air Plant Displays for options. For general care guidance, visit our Air Plant Care page. Read more about the genus at Tillandsia on Wikipedia.
