Description
About Tillandsia seleriana x pruinosa Colombia
Tillandsia seleriana x pruinosa Colombia crosses two bulbous species that both build a hollow swollen base, but which handle their trichomes very differently.
Seleriana carries a thick chalky felt and a fat, squat bulb. Pruinosa is fuzzier and finer, and the Colombian form is among the most heavily coated, with a soft frosted texture that gives the species its name.
The hybrid takes the bulb from one and the frost from the other. Leaves twist outward from a solid base, and the whole plant carries a dense pale coat that reads almost blue-grey in strong light.
Three sizes are available from 4 inches to 8 inches and up. At under $10 this is one of the better value sculptural plants we carry.
Growing Tillandsia seleriana x pruinosa Colombia: Care Guide
A hollow base plus a heavy coat means water sits in two places. Therefore drying is the thing to get right.
- Light: High light. Strong light keeps the coat pale and the form compact.
- Water: Soak 20 minutes every 10 to 14 days. Both parents store water in the bulb.
- Drying: The critical rule. Invert the plant and shake it firmly every time, because the hollow base fills during a soak and rots from the inside if left.
- Airflow: Strong airflow. Aim to be dry within three hours.
- Temperature: Comfortable from 55°F to 95°F. No frost.
- Feeding: Feed monthly in spring and summer with diluted TillyBoost Fertilizer at quarter strength.
- Mounting: No soil. Wire it at an angle so the base drains freely.
- Pups: Offsets form around the bulb after bloom. Separate at one third the size of the mother.
Our Air Plant Care page covers the basics, and more bulbous crosses sit in our Rare Air Plants.
