Description
About Tillandsia mandonii
Tillandsia mandonii is a small Bolivian species named for Gilbert Mandon, the nineteenth century botanist who collected extensively through the Bolivian Andes.
It stays compact, holding short stiff leaves in a tight arrangement rather than opening into a broad rosette. Trichome cover is dense and pale, giving an even silver finish.
We supply this one as mature plants rather than seedlings, so what arrives is ready to sell or mount immediately rather than needing a season of growing on.
Like most high-altitude Bolivian species it clusters as it ages, building tidy groups. A colony reads considerably better on a shelf than a single plant does.
Growing Tillandsia mandonii: Care Guide
High Andean origins mean bright light and real cold tolerance. Therefore it suits unheated spaces that would trouble a tropical species.
- Light: High light with direct morning sun. Good light keeps growth compact rather than stretched.
- Water: Soak 15 minutes every 10 days. Short soaks suit small plants.
- Drying: Shake it out well, particularly once clustering begins.
- Airflow: Steady airflow, increasing as the clump thickens.
- Temperature: Very cold tolerant, from 35°F to 90°F. Cool nights suit it better than sustained heat.
- Feeding: Feed monthly with diluted TillyBoost Fertilizer at quarter strength to speed clustering.
- Mounting: No soil. Glue or wire to cork with room for the cluster to widen.
- Pups: It offsets steadily. Leave pups attached, since clumps sell better than singles.
See our Air Plant Care page for guidance, or browse our Rare Air Plants for more Bolivian species.
