Description
About Tillandsia straminea thick leaf form
Tillandsia straminea is among the most strongly scented plants in the genus, and this is the spreading grade rather than the tall one. Small plants measure roughly 6 inches tall by 8 inches wide, so they grow outward rather than upward.
That habit makes it a different display proposition from the tall form. A wide plant fills horizontal bench space and works well at eye level, where an upright plant needs headroom.
Leaves are stout and chalky, packed with heavy trichomes that keep the plant a consistent pale silver. The thick leaf selection is sturdier in transit than the ordinary type.
The flower is what sells it. Tillandsia straminea produces a branched spike of lavender and white blooms with a fragrance strong enough to carry across a room.
Growing Tillandsia straminea thick leaf form: Care Guide
This species comes from the Peruvian coastal desert. Therefore it wants light and wind far more than water.
- Light: Very high light. Strong light drives the flowering that carries the scent.
- Water: Soak 20 minutes every 12 to 14 days. Thick leaves and dense scales hold reserves well.
- Drying: Invert and shake. A wide rosette collects water across a broad centre.
- Airflow: Strong airflow, matching the windy coast it comes from.
- Temperature: Comfortable from 45°F to 95°F. Cool nights are fine.
- Feeding: Feed monthly with diluted TillyBoost Fertilizer at quarter strength for more flowers and more scent.
- Mounting: No soil. Allow lateral room, since this grade spreads rather than climbs.
- Pups: Offsets follow bloom. Separate at one third size, or leave them to widen the clump.
Browse our Fragrant Air Plants for more scented species, see our Air Plant Care page, or find the tall form in our Rare Air Plants.
