Air Plants by Zenaida Sengo

Author:Zenaida Sengo
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Timber Press
Published: 2014-11-16T05:00:00+00:00

A sun-kissed clump of Tillandsia tenuifolia conveniently fills the base of this potted Trichocereus specimen, adding color and texture to an otherwise bleak pot base. With an occasional spray down of these tillandsias, the trichocereus won’t need much else in terms of watering, as it likes to stay relatively dry.

Tillandsia aeranthos stars brighten the base of this potted epiphyllum.

GOOD COMPANION PLANTS FOR TILLANDSIAS

Tillandsias pair well with many other types of plants; after all, attaching themselves to a host plant is often how they grow in their native habitat. Here are lists of succulents, orchids, and other bromeliads with growth habits that support a tillandsia well, complement them visually, or thrive in similar care conditions.

Plants with spines or texture to which a tillandsia can be attached without any wire or other fastener

Dyckia (needs mostly full sun)

Euphorbia ammak (needs some direct sun)

Euphorbia milii (needs some direct sun)

Euphorbia trigona (will tolerate bright indirect sun)

Mammillaria (needs some direct sun)

Opuntia (needs some direct sun)

Pachypodium lamerei (needs some direct sun)

Rebutia (needs some direct sun)

Tree fern (outdoors only)

Trichocereus (needs some direct sun)

Plants with strong branching systems on which to perch tillandsias

Adenium obesum (some direct sun)

Euphorbia mauritanica (likes some direct sun but will tolerate bright indirect)

Euphorbia tirucalli (likes some direct sun but will tolerate bright indirect)

Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Sticks on Fire’ (like E. tirucalli; only needs some direct sun to stay reddish)

Plants with plicate (fanlike) or divaricate (spreading) features to tuck tillandsias onto

Aloe plicatilis (needs mostly full sun)

Aloe vera (can take bright shade or full sun)

Billbergia (needs some direct sun)

Haworthia attenuata (can take bright indirect or direct sun)

Neoregelia (needs some direct sun)

Vanda (prefers some direct sun)

Vriesea (mostly bright indirect but can take a little sun)

Tree-shaped plants to which tillandsias can be fastened

Aloe ‘Hercules’ (bright shade or direct sun)

Beaucarnea recurvata (likes some direct sun but can tolerate bright indirect)

Dendrobium (can take bright indirect or a little direct sun)

Dracaena fragrans (bright indirect light)

Dracaena marginata (bright indirect light and some direct sun)

Dracaena marginata ‘Colorama’ (bright light and some direct sun for color)

Plumeria (needs some direct sun)

Yucca elephantipes (prefers some direct sun)

Plants with which tillandsias can grow on substrate

Cattleya (prefers a little direct sun)

Cymbidium (partial direct sun; outdoors or patio orchid)

Encyclia (bright indirect and a little direct sun; cool)

Odontoglossum (bright indirect to a little direct sun; intermediate)

Oncidium (bright indirect to a little direct sun; intermediate)

Phalaenopsis (bright indirect to partial direct sun)

All cactus and succulents (prefer at least some direct sun)

Cloud-forest–type plants that can grow mounted

Bulbophyllum orchids (warm)

Masdevallia orchids (cool)

Platycerium bifurcatum

Rhipsalis

More about companions for tillandsias:

Adenium, Pachypodium, and Plumeria all lose their leaves during the cold season. It’s nice to give them a tillandsia to wear during their bare months.

Most orchid species look less appealing after they’ve lost their blooms, causing the caregiver to lose interest, neglect them, or even dispose of them entirely. A tillandsia sidekick for an out-of-bloom orchid can restore excitement about the orchid and extend the caregiver’s patience while waiting for the next bloom cycle. A lively tillandsia can sit atop the bark base of the vast majority of orchids because

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