Description
About Tillandsia latifolia Blue Moon
Tillandsia latifolia Blue Moon is a form of Tillandsia latifolia var. divaricata with a blue-purple cast across the foliage. Blue is a rare colour in air plants, and this one carries it in the leaves rather than the flowers.
The hue washes over the whole plant and deepens along the leaf margins. In strong light it is unmistakable; in shade it fades toward the grey-green of the ordinary variety.
The plant itself is a divaricata: stiff, spreading leaves in an open rosette, and the vigorous, clumping habit of the variety.
Our plants are 10 to 12 inches wide. Current stock is a mix of seedlings and pups, so plants vary, and each carries its own natural variation in colour and form.
Blue Moon is a plant for collectors and for shops with customers who have seen everything. It is priced at $10, and it is the only blue-toned latifolia we grow.
Growing Tillandsia latifolia Blue Moon: Care Guide
Latifolia is a plant of the coastal deserts of Peru and Ecuador, where it grows on sand and rock in full sun with almost no rain. Blue Moon wants the same: the brightest light you have, a short soak every couple of weeks and fast drying. The blue colour depends on light, so a plant kept in shade loses its reason for being; put it in a sunny window or under the greenhouse roof. It is a vigorous grower, and a seedling or pup builds into a clump within a few seasons. Cool nights are welcome and rot is the only real risk, so err on the side of dry.
- Light: Full sun to very bright light. Sun brings the blue.
- Water: Soak 15 minutes every 10 to 14 days.
- Drying: Invert and shake. Stiff leaves drain fast.
- Airflow: Good airflow after each soak.
- Temperature: 40°F to 100°F. It takes heat well.
- Feeding: Feed monthly with diluted TillyBoost Fertilizer at quarter strength.
- Mounting: Wire to wood or set on stone. It also grows well loose in a bowl.
- Pups: Several after bloom. Clumps form quickly.
Browse more Air Plants, or read our air plant care guide.
