# Tillandsia Growth Habits, Sizes & Colors - A Few Reference Pictures



## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

*Tillandsia Growth Habits, Sizes & Colors - A Few Reference Pictures*

I got an order last night with a number of different _Tillandsia_ species and varieties. I'm interested in the idea of using them in planted terrarium layouts. This afternoon I took some time to get reference pictures for the different kinds. I'm particularly interested in the smallest Tillandsia that can scale well with small enclosure and function well to cover branches as carpets of epiphytic foliage.

I'm not sure which of these are officially named varieties--the various online sellers don't seem to know or care--so I use double quotes for most variety names. 


_Tillandsia aeranthos_ "Miniata" -- a smaller and densely-clumping version of the species. There is an even smaller one, "Miniata Mini Me" (Tillandsia aeranthos Miniata Mini Me) and I'd like to get that one too. 











_Tillandsia aeranthos_ "Mini-Purple" -- another smaller variety with purple-flushed leaves.











_Tillandsia araujei_ "Hybrid" -- this caulescent (stem-forming) _Tillandsia_ can grow long pendant stems. "Hybrid" has a bright yellow-green color. 











_Tillandsia bryoides_ -- one of the smallest of all Tillandsia. It is tiny and rather expensive. I want to get more. The plantlets in the small clump that I received have several mature seed pods. 











_Tillandsia bergeri_ -- this vigorously-clumping plant looks best as a clump.


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## ICS523 (Mar 10, 2012)

Cool, I wish I could do more with these. They usually don't work out to well in my PDF setups. they are really cool plants. another good one good one that does work in vivariums setups is Tillandsia cyanea. Its pretty common but it's still pretty cool.


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

T. bryoides failed miserably in vivariums for me. The species that do well consistently are concolor, cyanea, funkiana (2 clones), ionantha (4 clones), butzii and albertiana.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

epiphytes etc. said:


> T. bryoides failed miserably in vivariums for me. The species that do well consistently are concolor, cyanea, funkiana (2 clones), ionantha (4 clones), butzii and albertiana.


I was planning to use the _T. bryoides_ in a more airy setup with a screen top. Would it do better that way? If a viv will kill it I'll mount it somewhere else. It's such a cool little plant.

Do you have any experience with any other real small ones? Oh and what about _T. aeranthos_?

I also have _funkiana, albertiana, ionantha_ and _concolor_. I have a few more pictures here to link.


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## andersonii85 (Feb 8, 2004)

Two that have done consistently well for me are T. bulbosa and stricta. Both stay stay small and have interesting growth patterns/clumping.


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## Derek Benson (Feb 19, 2004)

I'll be constructing a vivarium for Phyllomedusa sauvagei here shortly and had planned on turning my dritwood piece into a bonsai-esque tree with clumps of tillandsias on the branches, it's nice to see different small species and the habitats that they can be maintained in, thanks.


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

The hard part about bryoides is that it likes good air flow, but desiccates rather easily. I think it would be better in a high humidity set up with a fan blowing directly on it.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

andersonii85 said:


> Two that have done consistently well for me are T. bulbosa and stricta. Both stay stay small and have interesting growth patterns/clumping.


I want to get some _stricta_ too.



Derek Benson said:


> I'll be constructing a vivarium for Phyllomedusa sauvagei here shortly and had planned on turning my dritwood piece into a bonsai-esque tree with clumps of tillandsias on the branches, it's nice to see different small species and the habitats that they can be maintained in, thanks.


I really don't know what I'm doing. I'm just posting pictures and observations as I get new plants. I am interested in any tips or information that anybody can offer on _Tillandsia_ in vivs. 



epiphytes etc. said:


> The hard part about bryoides is that it likes good air flow, but desiccates rather easily. I think it would be better in a high humidity set up with a fan blowing directly on it.


I wonder if most _Tillandsia_ wouldn't do well in a viv with lots of fan air circulation. Do you have any experience blooming _Tillandsia_ in vivs? I'm interested in that question too. Some of them have such beautiful delicate flowers.


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

I've had concolor, 2 clones of ionantha and the green funkiana bloom in viv. Oh and of course cyanea.


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## andersonii85 (Feb 8, 2004)

Since switching over to fans, I've flowered just about every Tillandsia I could get my hands on. If you can grow epiphytic orchids in your viv's with no problem, then most green leaves Tillandsia will be happy as well. I tend to place them in the drier parts (up high and closer to the lights).


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

Here's another setup that I'm working on in a 12 X 12 X 18 Exo Terra that will just use _Tillandsia_ planted on the manzanita.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

Here's that setup with plants planted into the bottom too.


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## kitcolebay (Apr 7, 2012)

I have about a dozen or so tillandsia in my 150 setup. From my understanding, they're doing well in there due to an internal fan blowing from across each front corner and small vents in each rear corner. I've had a couple split off pups already. I don't know a lot of names offhand. I do have some written down. If interested, I can try to post a few names and pics later today.

By the way, love your tillandsia tree. My next "display" build that I have planned involves a lot of tillandsia and neo broms. Someday...

Thanks, Chris


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

kitcolebay said:


> I have about a dozen or so tillandsia in my 150 setup. From my understanding, they're doing well in there due to an internal fan blowing from across each front corner and small vents in each rear corner. I've had a couple split off pups already. I don't know a lot of names offhand. I do have some written down. If interested, I can try to post a few names and pics later today.
> 
> By the way, love your tillandsia tree. My next "display" build that I have planned involves a lot of tillandsia and neo broms. Someday...
> 
> Thanks, Chris


Yeah the most critical thing with _Tillandsia_ plants is to make sure that they can dry promptly after watering. That would be great if you could post some pictures! I am pondering a larger setup, maybe a 47G Column fish tank, dominated with _Tillandsia_ too. It would be really cool to get lots of them flowering in a viv.

I'm still working on the setup for my _Tapinauchenis_ tarantula. It's pretty obvious that I'm going to have to include a hide in there. My _Aviculaira_ just built her own web tube up in the rear corner of her enclosure, but _Tapinauchenius_ are different prefer to hide behind or within dark crevices. I am trying to figure out how to combine a slender cork tube with a few manzanita branches and _Tillandsia_.


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## kitcolebay (Apr 7, 2012)

I could only find the names of a few. I counted 11 in the viv.

Tillandsia stricta soft
Tillandsia stricta hard
Tillandsia brachyados
Tillandsia Gerantho

Here's a few pics. 3 or more in each shot. 

Left









Right









Middle









-Chris

Oh, if you notice the one with sad edges on the bottom, then that is the one I placed too close to the waterfall for a while.


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

hydrophyte said:


> Here's that setup with plants planted into the bottom too.


What is the Syngonium looking plant bottom center? And how can I get a cutting?


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

That is _Syngonium wendlandii_. I'll send you a piece tomorrow if you want.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

kitcolebay said:


> I could only find the names of a few. I counted 11 in the viv.
> 
> Tillandsia stricta soft
> Tillandsia stricta hard
> ...



Hey thanks for posting those!


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## kitcolebay (Apr 7, 2012)

hydrophyte said:


> Hey thanks for posting those!


My pleasure! I love the air plants! I'm so glad to see several sending pups! Once again, I love this hobby...the plants AND frogs multiply! Just add vivs. 

-Chris


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## Colleen53 (Jan 19, 2009)

Love your tilly tree! I have a tree as well, but not in a viv. I will try to post it on here. In the meantime, thank you posters for some ideas and names of tilly's that do well in the enclosures. 3 things tilly's need are light, air and water. Air circulation is what I lack in the viv other than a small screen opening.


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## dendrothusiast (Sep 16, 2010)

Colleen53 said:


> Love your tilly tree! I have a tree as well, but not in a viv. I will try to post it on here. In the meantime, thank you posters for some ideas and names of tilly's that do well in the enclosures. 3 things tilly's need are light, air and water. Air circulation is what I lack in the viv other than a small screen opening.


Hey Colleen really looking foward to the tree pic - been curious what you and your husband have been growing up there! Hope all has been good for you two.


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## Colleen53 (Jan 19, 2009)

I hope this picture works. I do have a list of the names, but can't find them. This tree is about 4 months old now, so I can't wait to see them bloom!! I was told the lighter the color, the less water they need. Much prettier in person!!


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

Hey that is great! Thanks for posting that. It would be great if you could add a species/var. list.


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## Colleen53 (Jan 19, 2009)

I found this and then scanned it. The tree and plants look so much nicer in person, but this gives you a idea of what some of the tilly's names are.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

Hey that's great! I really want to get some of that T. harrisii.

That tree will look really cool as those plants start to pup and fill in.


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