Under its dense tuft of long, narrow leaves, a Tillandsia cyanea hides a little secret at the end of its flowering period. If you look closely, you can see one or more daughter plants rising from the leaf axils. Read here how to properly separate and care for these children.
When and how do you separate a Tillandsia Cyanea Kindel?
A Tillandsia cyanea Kindel can be separated if it is at least half the size of the mother plant. It should then be cared for in a cultivation pot with loose bromeliad soil and sand for 4 to 6 months in order to form independent roots.
Don't separate the child and mother plant too early
At the end of its flowering period, a Tillandsia cyanea will sometimes challenge your patience by taking several weeks and months for its daughter plant to grow. During this phase, continue the care program unchanged. This also applies when a child sprouts from the leaf axils. Only when the offshoot has reached at least half the size of the mother plant do you cut it off with a clean, sharp knife.
Potting and care – How to do it right
So that a child develops its own root system, pot it up for about six months. Whether you then attach the Tillandsia to a support or continue to cultivate it in a pot is your personal decision. Follow these steps professionally:
- Fill a seed pot with a mix of loose bromeliad soil and sand
- Insert the daughter plant up to the lower leaves
- Spray the child with soft water
- Water the substrate moderately
Putting a plastic bag over the child creates a growth-promoting, warm, humid microclimate. Two wooden sticks serve as spacers so that the material does not touch the plant. In a partially shaded, warm location, ventilate the hood daily and water the substrate when it has dried out. The cover has done its job when more leaves grow.
After 4 to 6 months, a Tillandsia cyanea Kindel has developed so strongly that it can be cultivated like an adult plant.
Tip
Tillandsia cyanea are ideal for cultivation in the family home. These exotic species are neither poisonous nor do they have sharp spines or sharp leaf edges like other Bromeliad genera. Of course, this does not mean that the plant parts are suitable for consumption.
