Description
About Tillandsia vernicosa
Tillandsia vernicosa is a stiff-leaved species from Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina. The name means “varnished,” and it refers to the glossy red bracts of the bloom spike. White flowers open from those bracts.
The leaves are narrow, firm and grey-green. They radiate from a compact base, so the plant looks neat at every size. It is tougher than it looks.
Vernicosa is prolific. It often pups before it even blooms, and it keeps pupping afterward. A small clump with two or three pups becomes a large cluster within a couple of seasons.
We grade it from 2-inch minis to 9-inch larges, plus small clumps with mini pups attached. Because it takes full sun, it suits outdoor and greenhouse retailers.
The varnished bracts hold their colour for weeks after the flowers fade, so a blooming plant keeps its display value long after most species have finished. That is a real advantage on a retail bench.
Growing Tillandsia vernicosa: Care Guide
This is one of the easier species. Give it sun, water it now and then, and it will multiply.
- Light: Bright light to full sun. It colours up and blooms best in strong light.
- Water: Soak 20 minutes every 10 to 14 days. More often in hot dry weather.
- Drying: Invert and shake. The stiff leaves shed water fast.
- Airflow: Moving air after each soak.
- Temperature: 40°F to 100°F. It handles heat and cool nights.
- Feeding: Feed monthly with diluted TillyBoost Fertilizer. Feeding pushes even more pups.
- Mounting: Glue or wire to wood. Clumps look best hanging where the spikes can show.
- Pups: Constant. Divide clumps when they get crowded, or sell them whole.
Read our air plant care guide, or browse more Rare Air Plants.
