Description
About Tillandsia pruinosa Guatemala
Tillandsia pruinosa Guatemala is the Guatemalan form of Tillandsia pruinosa, a small bulbous species with one of the widest ranges in the genus, from Florida and Mexico down to Brazil. The name means frosted, and the plant is covered in coarse silver scales.
It has a swollen, hollow bulb and a few thick, twisting leaves, like a miniature caput-medusae dipped in frost. The whole plant often carries purple pigment, which is natural and not a sign of rot.
Plants are not currently in bloom. When it flowers, a short pink-bracted spike opens violet flowers from the top of the bulb.
We grade it from 1-inch minis to 5-inch larges. It is a small plant at every size, and the minis are among the smallest bulbous plants we sell.
Pruinosa Guatemala is a terrarium and shell plant, and a collector’s miniature. At $2.75 it gives the frosted, sculptural look of a much more expensive plant in a package that fits a two-inch shell.
Growing Tillandsia pruinosa Guatemala: Care Guide
Pruinosa grows on twigs in seasonally dry forest, where the bulb is often home to ants, and it wants bright light, quick drying and a soak every ten days or so. The bulb is hollow and it traps water, so every soak must end upside down with a hard shake. The frost coat is a sunscreen and a water store, which is why the plant tolerates direct sun and dry air better than its size suggests. Purple pigment deepens in strong light. Keep it on its own mount where it can be seen and checked, because a plant this small is easily lost on a bench.
- Light: Bright light with direct sun for part of the day.
- Water: Soak 15 minutes every 10 days.
- Drying: Invert and shake hard. Drain the bulb completely.
- Airflow: Good airflow after each soak.
- Temperature: 45°F to 95°F. No frost.
- Feeding: Feed monthly with diluted TillyBoost Fertilizer at quarter strength.
- Mounting: Glue the bulb into a shell or onto cork. Never bury the base.
- Pups: One or two pups from the base after bloom.
Browse more Air Plants, or read our air plant care guide.
