Description
About Tillandsia gardneri Morro do Chapeu
Tillandsia gardneri is one of the softest looking plants in the Tillandsia genus. Instead of stiff spiky leaves it carries broad, gently recurving ones covered in fine downy trichomes, so the whole rosette looks almost furred.
This is the Morro do Chapeu form, collected originally from that region of Bahia in eastern Brazil. Locality forms of gardneri differ noticeably in leaf width and colour, and this one holds a clean pale silver.
The flower is worth waiting for. Gardneri produces soft pink bracts and pale rose flowers, and the colouring is gentler than the hard reds most Tillandsias throw.
Three sizes are available from 3 inches upward. The downy texture is what customers respond to, so it displays best where people can get close to it.
Growing Tillandsia gardneri Morro do Chapeu: Care Guide
Soft downy leaves point to a plant from humid Brazilian country rather than open desert. Therefore water it more often than a hard silver species, but never let it sit wet.
- Light: Bright indirect light. Some gentle morning sun is fine, but the softer leaves scorch in hard afternoon exposure.
- Water: Soak 20 minutes every 7 to 10 days. It appreciates more frequent water than a desert species.
- Drying: Invert and shake. The fine down holds surface water, so aim to be dry within three hours.
- Airflow: Good airflow while drying, though it tolerates humidity well.
- Temperature: Comfortable from 50°F to 90°F. Protect from frost.
- Feeding: Feed monthly with diluted TillyBoost Fertilizer at quarter strength.
- Mounting: No soil. Mount on cork or wood, and handle it dry so the down is not flattened.
- Pups: Offsets follow bloom and cluster readily. Leave them attached for a fuller display.
See our Air Plant Care page, or browse our Rare Air Plants for more Brazilian forms.
