Description
About Tillandsia plumosa x tectorum
Tillandsia plumosa x tectorum crosses two of the fuzziest plants in the genus, and the result is exactly what you would hope. It forms a dense silver globe covered in fine, feathery trichomes.
Plumosa contributes the soft, plume-like leaf texture and the tight spherical habit. Tectorum contributes sheer trichome density and Andean toughness.
At 4 to 5 inches wide these are compact, but the texture does the selling. Customers reach out and touch this plant before they read the label, which is a useful quality on a retail bench.
Both parents grow in high, dry, bright places. Neither is a forest plant, and the cross inherits that preference completely.
Growing Tillandsia plumosa x tectorum: Care Guide
Heavy trichome cover means this plant holds water in its coat. Therefore drying speed matters far more than watering frequency.
- Light: Very bright light, including direct morning sun. Shade flattens the fuzz and loosens the globe.
- Water: Mist generously, or soak briefly for 10 minutes every 2 weeks. Do not give it long soaks.
- Drying: Shake it out hard and dry it fast, within two hours. A plant that stays damp overnight will rot at the core.
- Airflow: Very strong airflow. This is not a terrarium plant under any circumstances.
- Temperature: Cool tolerant, from 45°F to 90°F. It dislikes prolonged heat with humidity.
- Feeding: Feed lightly once a month with diluted TillyBoost Fertilizer. Go easy; heavy feeding does nothing useful here.
- Mounting: No soil, and never a closed vessel. Mount on cork or wood in the open.
- Handling: Handle it dry, because wet trichomes mat down and take days to recover their loft.
Our Air Plant Care page has the basics. For more fuzzy species, browse our Rare Air Plants.
