With its long, thread-like shoots and substrate-free growth, the Tillandsia usneoides catches everyone's attention. The unorthodox habit rightly raises the question of whether the epiphytic bromeliad comes with equally eccentric care requirements. Read here how to properly water, fertilize and cut the Spanish moss.
How do you properly care for a Tillandsia usneoides?
A Tillandsia usneoides requires daily misting with soft water, weekly fertilizing in summer and every 4-6 weeks in winter. Pruning is not necessary, but dead plant parts can be removed.
How does the water supply work?
Since a Tillandsia usneoides has no roots to speak of, it is usually attached to a support or cultivated free-floating. Keeping them without a substrate requires a modified supply of water. This is how it works:
- Spray with water once a day
- Wet the entire plant with a fine mist
- Do not spray under direct sunlight
- Alternatively, immerse yourself in room temperature water once a week
Please only use soft water with a low lime content. Collected rainwater is perfect for simulating natural conditions.
Should a Tillandsia usneoides be fertilized?
The Tillandsia usneoides absorbs nutrients through its tiny leaves. Therefore, add a liquid fertilizer to the watering or dipping water weekly during the summer growing phase. In winter, the fertilization intervals are extended to 4 to 6 weeks. A commercially available plant fertilizer is just as suitable for this purpose as a special fertilizer for bromeliads.
Does pruning count as part of the care program?
The epiphytic Tillandsia usneoides does not have a shape and maintenance cut in the classic sense. However, it may be necessary to remove dead parts of the plant to make room for fresh growth. Therefore, thin out the bromeliad at the end of the winter period. Please use an extra sharp, clean knife. Take the withered shoot in one hand, press it outwards and cut it off.
Tip
The Tillandsia usneoides forms a congenial partnership with free-hanging, substrate-free Vanda orchids. The dense network of shoots and leaves is integrated into the aerial roots of the orchids. In this way, the Tillandsia species acts as a natural curtain that protects the Vanda from blazing sun and drought.
