Description
About Tillandsia bradeana
Tillandsia bradeana is sold in the trade as brachycaulos burgundy, and the nickname fits. Where ordinary brachycaulos flushes bright scarlet, this one turns a darker wine red that holds a richer tone.
The rosette is open and soft-leaved, with broad strappy foliage arching outward. Trichome cover is light, which is exactly why the colour shows so strongly when it arrives.
Like the rest of the brachycaulos group, bradeana is a tank type. Its leaf bases overlap into a well at the centre, and it holds standing water there rather than drinking through its leaves alone.
Three grades run from 3 inches upward. The burgundy tone makes a useful contrast against the brighter reds elsewhere in the catalog.
Growing Tillandsia bradeana: Care Guide
Water goes into the cup and stays there. Therefore treat this plant as a small bromeliad rather than an air plant.
- Light: Bright indirect light with a little morning sun. Light drives the burgundy, so a shaded plant stays green.
- Water: Keep the central well topped up and let the plant draw from it.
- Flushing: Tip out and refill weekly with fresh water.
- Do not invert: Never turn it over to shake it dry. That empties the reservoir it lives on.
- Airflow: Moderate airflow. Humidity is welcome rather than a risk.
- Temperature: Comfortable from 55°F to 95°F. No frost.
- Feeding: Add diluted TillyBoost Fertilizer at quarter strength to the cup water monthly. Feeding deepens the colour.
- Mounting: No soil. Sit or mount it level so the well holds water.
- Pups: It offsets freely after bloom. Separate at one third the mother’s size.
As a tank type it belongs with our Bromeliads. See our Air Plant Care page, or our Rare Air Plants for more colouring forms.
