Description
About Tillandsia xiphioides
Tillandsia xiphioides produces one of the finest flowers in the Tillandsia genus. The blooms are large, pure white and heavily frilled at the petal edges, and they carry a strong sweet fragrance that fills a room.
That flower sits on a plant most people would overlook. The rosette is small, stiff and densely silvered, built from narrow leaves that curve outward in a tight symmetrical arrangement.
It comes from the dry Andean country of Bolivia and northern Argentina, growing on rock and in scrub at altitude. Growth is slow, and plants take their time reaching flowering size.
We offer three sizes from 3 inches upward. Larger grades are closer to blooming, which is worth knowing given that the flower is the whole reason to stock it.
Growing Tillandsia xiphioides: Care Guide
High-altitude dry country with cold nights. Therefore this plant wants light, air and cool, not tropical warmth.
- Light: High light, including direct morning sun. Good light is what drives flowering.
- Water: Soak 20 minutes every 10 to 14 days. It is thoroughly drought hardy.
- Drying: Invert and shake. The tight rosette centre traps water at the base.
- Airflow: Strong airflow, matching the exposed habitat it comes from.
- Temperature: Genuinely cold tolerant, from 40°F to 90°F. Cool nights encourage blooming.
- Feeding: Feed monthly through the growing season with diluted TillyBoost Fertilizer. Growth is slow, so feeding makes a real difference.
- Mounting: No soil. Mount on cork or rock in the brightest, airiest spot you have.
- Patience: Slow to reach flowering size, and priced accordingly. The flower is worth the wait.
See our Air Plant Care page, browse our Fragrant Air Plants for more scented species, or our Rare Air Plants for other Andean plants.
