Description
Tillandsia Silver King is a hybrid we created ourselves back in 2017-2018, crossing zacapanensis with jalisco-monticola. We’re only just starting to release plants from that original cross. It’s a big, bold grower, and each one we ship is well-started at roughly 12-15″ wide.
About Tillandsia Silver King
This hybrid can reach up to 48″ wide at full maturity. It’s more commonly around 36″ when it comes into bloom. The leaves are thick and strap-like with a distinctly rubbery feel. In full sun the whole plant tends to blush maroon, a nice bonus for anyone displaying it prominently. When it flowers, the inflorescence climbs up to 18″ tall. It carries 10 to 12 frosted, ascending spikes of golden-green bracts edged in red, each one studded with tubular violet flowers.
Note that this is a different hybrid from our earlier “Tillandsia Silver King” specimen release. This cross uses zacapanensis and jalisco-monticola as parents and stands as its own distinct plant.
Growing Tillandsia Silver King: Care Guide
This is a genuinely easy, hardy plant to grow. That’s part of why we’re excited to finally offer it more widely. Give it bright light, ideally some direct sun, to bring out the maroon blush in the leaves and encourage strong growth toward its full size. Water thoroughly and let it dry between soakings. Because it grows so large, good airflow around the base helps keep water from sitting in the crown.
Feed monthly with diluted TillyBoost Fertilizer to support a plant of this scale as it fills out. Given its eventual size, it works best mounted on a sturdy piece of wood or displayed as a standalone specimen rather than crowded among smaller plants; see our Air Plant Displays for mounting ideas. Full watering and light guidance is on our Air Plant Care page. For background on the parent species, see Tillandsia on Wikipedia.
