Talk:Tillandsia

this looks like a copy-paste from something else ...-- Tarquin 23:15 Jan 19, 2003 (UTC)

I'm completely wrong. User:Arpingstone informs me this is his original work. apologies - t

The first sentence says the genus is found in deserts, and not until the second sentence do we find out that this is a genus of plants. Since Wikipedia is not just about plants, that is wrong. 131.183.73.23 22:11 Jan 23, 2003 (UTC)

Hi! I am the writer of this article. You are correct in what you say, I should have said plant genus in the first sentence. This has now been done. Thanks for noticing it.
Arpingstone 09:36 Jan 24, 2003 (UTC)

It's would be great to find a photo of what we call "Fille de l'air" in France that is a large Tillandsia growed into a ball-shape and simply hanged by a wire. This will illustrate they grow without soil. Ericd 21:36 Apr 12, 2003 (UTC)

Looks like a good start

I wish I had the time to flesh it all out, but I'm glad to see a pretty good description of a fascinating plant genus. My parents had specimens of about 20 Tillandsia species in their trees before they were nailed by hurricane Andrew. Many species are simply fascinating -- just outside my window is a large Tillandsia with a six-foot spike.

But it would be interesting if we could have an entry for ball moss (time limitations preclude me from doing so)...

It is exceptionally common in the southern US -- in southern Florida, it is virtually impossible to find a live oak without ball moss in it.

Ball moss is often found growing on electronic transmission wires in Florida(!), and it is one of the most vigorous of the Tillandsias. Sometimes its growth is so heavy that tree limbs break under its collective weight.

Also, ball moss has a capability that only a relative handful of plant species has: it fixes nitrogen from the air, like beans and alfalfa.

I agree it's a good start but I don't like some of it. "Tillandsie [sic] takes many years to flower. With the fruiting the life of the individual species has come to the end. There are still seeds formed, then the mother plant is destroyed" appears to be a poor translation from German. But mostly, I'm going to try to upload a picture... Wastrel Way (talk) Eric

I repaired the broken English with known facts. If the source actually says the quote above, the whole thing should be deleted because it is wrong. Wastrel Way (talk) Eric

Some sort of issue that wikipedia has with me trying to "hijack" my own account. Ain't got time for that. The picture is here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_mIYjxvklqvYW1UbFk3cXVmUzNoYUY0YXhERU5xaFdvWFdz/view Add it to the gallery if you can. It's "T. ionantha in bloom. The yellow pistils and the stamen are clearly visible." At least that's the description I entered twice. Wastrel Way (talk) Eric

I just might go through and edit the whole mess, because after re-reading it, it has a lot of awkward expressions and contradictory jumping around, e.g "Some are aerophytes, which have a minimal root system and grow on shifting desert soil. Due to the epiphytic way of life of the plants the peculiarity arises that these bulbs [?] do not lie in the ground, but hang in the air on branches." So, desert soil or branches? And that's just the second paragraph. At first look, many references are not readily available, but I think I can fix some of the confusing language without going to the original sources. Wastrel Way (talk) 17:47, 24 December 2019 (UTC) Eric[reply]

Revising the whole article using the German and other sources was too much, but I got my picture uploaded. Note that there are two pictures now of "T. ionantha" blooming, but the blooms are very different. From an pollinator's point of view, and ecologically, this makes very little sense, and they surely are different species. Wastrel Way (talk) 04:06, 12 February 2020 (UTC) Eric[reply]

Oops

I just cut all the content of the page and then saved it... Sorry! I thought I was working on the page for Tillansia insignis that I just created about an hour ago, was going to make a redirect to Werauhia insignis, which is the new name for the species. I put the content back, hope it doesn't screw up the history too bad.

Codiferous 02:26, 14 March 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Wikipedia is not a how-to manual

The following information was cut from the article and should probably be transwikied to Wikibooks:

;Light

Place in indirect or diffused sunlight in summer (full summer sun will damage the leaves) but direct sun is acceptable in winter. If indoors, Tillandsia must be placed near a bright window (avoid a north-facing view). They prefer to be outdoors in summer.

Air

Fresh, moving air is ideal.

Watering

For all watering, the first choice is rain water. If not available, use filtered tap water or tap water. The plants should be soaked thoroughly twice a week when not in flower; more often in a hot dry environment but do not keep the plants constantly wet, allow to dry between waterings. Additionally, the plant will enjoy being sprayed once a day in summer. In autumn and winter spray three times a week. Spraying does not replace thorough soaking with a watering can or dipping entirely in water (for approximately one hour). After soaking, excess water is shaken off to avoid rot. Plants in flower are more susceptible to rot and should not be soaked. Tillandsia cannot survive in standing water, nor being planted in earth.

Temperature

Temperature is not critical, the allowable range being from 32°C down to 10°C. They are sensitive to frost, except for the hardiest species, T. usneoides, which can tolerate night-time frosts down to about -10°C.

Feeding

Spray with Bromeliad or houseplant fertilizer, once every two weeks spring and summer and once every four weeks autumn and winter. Dilute the feed to one quarter the recommended strength.

Flowering

Although not normally grown for their flowers some Tillandsia will bloom on a regular basis, indeed, some species have very impressive flowers. In addition it is quite common for plants to take on a different leaf colour (usually changing from green to red) when about to flower. This is, sadly, an indication that the plant is monocarpic (flowers once before dying) but offsets around the flowering plant will continue to thrive.

Offsets

After flowering, the plant will grow offsets or "pups" around the mother plant. Leave these on if possible, as the plant will be heartier if left to form a colony.

Fixing plant to a base

Fix with silicone adhesive or a non-water soluble glue, on the lower leaves but try to avoid the base from which the roots grow. For a mount, try seashells, log sections, driftwood, coral, rocks, pottery, fountains or crystals. If desired, decorate the mount with sphagnum moss (dyed or natural green) and ornaments.

Information like this can be useful, but unless it describes the cultivation of the plant instead of telling readers how to do it, it doesn't belong on Wikipedia. --Rkitko ^(talk) 23:53, 21 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Rkitko, I think the issues of what the plants like and how to give them what they like to cultivate them are hard to separate. The current section on "Cultivation" is getting close to a "how-to" manual. Much of it is not needed, and some is repetitive. The essential thing for a person who keeps one of these plants, as I do, is not to kill it: with too much water or no water at all, with direct sunlight or no light, or with extremes of temperature. That's it, and it will live practically forever. The differences between grey and green plants and thin-leaved and thick-leaved plants, if backed up by science, belong in the ecology section. I treat them all the same and they are just fine. There is not enough science on these plants, and many of the references are written by growers, not botanists. Wastrel Way (talk) Eric

About the picture with epiphytes on electric wires

The legend of the picture says Tillandsia recurvata, but on other Wikipedia pages, like Epiphyte, the same picture is said to show Tillandsia usneoides. I am no expert, so does anyone know if really both are one this picture or if not, which one, so this little confusion can be fixed? --Globulariifolia (talk) 16:59, 17 February 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Well spotted. I'm not an expert either, but I think the Tillandsia recurvata identification is much more plausible. It isn't a long, dangling plant like T. usneoides. I've taken out the more egregious statements elsewhere, except in the Spanish wiki which is semi-protected. Sminthopsis84 (talk) 17:16, 17 February 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Ok, thank you.--Globulariifolia (talk) 08:05, 18 February 2016 (UTC)[reply]

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"cite journal" template and maintenance errors

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