Tillandsia: A Landscape Lovely : Drought Tolerance Makes Them Welcome in Southland
The Spanish moss you see dripping from live oak trees in Texas and Louisiana and the tiny blooming plants perched on curled pieces of driftwood that you buy at crafts fairs have something in common--they’re both tillandsia, or air plants.
Tillandsia can make charming additions to landscapes in Southern California, as delicate adornment for the lattice around a spa, as a lovely house plant (they thrive in bathrooms where the humidity is high) or as unexpected additions to trees.
The little plants are not parasitic but produce their own food through photosynthesis; their drought-tolerance makes them excellent for gardeners trying to conserve water.
Bromeliad Family
Tillandsia are part of the bromeliad family, the most famous member of which is the pineapple. Many tillandsia emulate their better-known cousins with their vivid blooms and leathery leaves.
“The flowers on tillandsia last a long time because the bud comes up very slowly and is brightly colored from the moment it forms,” said Lynn Johnson, a tillandsia aficionado who sells the plants at street festivals throughout the Southland. “After the plants bloom, they reproduce by sending out offsets or baby plants, which are correctly called ‘pups.’ ”
In nature, plants left to their own will eventually multiply into large clusters, but most people who grow tillandsia separate the pups and allow them to grow on their own.
Tillandsia do need some water. If you’re growing them inside, mist them thoroughly about once a week; outside, you can drench them weekly with a fine spray from the hose until they’re good and wet. The grayer-leafed varieties can take full sunlight while greener ones need full shade.
Most professional growers, said Johnson, occasionally fertilize their tillandsia with fish emulsion that can be mixed with water and sprayed.
Attractive to Snails, Slugs
“You can have problems with mealy bugs,” Johnson said. “Insecticidal soap takes care of them.” She said tillandsia blooms are also attractive to snails and slugs.
“Tillandsia can become a permanent part of your landscape,” Johnson said. “The flowers bloom from eight to 10 weeks, and the plant reproduces easily.” She said loose plants typically start at about $2 and go up; plants mounted on driftwood start at $3, and if you buy a large piece of coral with several plants attached it could cost upwards of $35.
Sunday at 2 p.m., the South Coast Botanic Garden, 26300 Crenshaw Blvd., on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, will sponsor a free lecture and slide show on tillandsia, which will be followed by a sale. Michael Pablo, a tillandsia expert who takes frequent trips into Mexico to bring back choice specimens, will speak.
Admission to the garden is $3 for adults, $1.50 for seniors 62 and older and students with IDs, 75 cents for children ages 5 to 12, and free for children under age 4. The tillandsia program is free.
