Tillandsia "Airplants" - Don't Plant These Plants!

Article by: Arthur Comer

Watch out, it's a tillandsia! Have no fear, I said "Tillandsia,"Â not Tarantula. Although several species of this plant , Economically Design Your Own Landscape Lighting genus have taken on the appearance of the ominous eight-legged spider, you can rest-assured that these plants , This Fall, Give Your Trees Some TLC do not bite. As the largest genus of the Bromeliad family of plants, , Tips for Preparing a ing Bed tillandsia boast of a characteristic that few other plants , Hydroponics Gardening - An Introduction To Hydroponics Gardening For Beginners (part 13) Oxygen have, they have the ability to grow , Economically Design Your Own Landscape Lighting and prosper without soil. , 5 Great Tips For Building A Fish Pond Nature , Fiberglass Pond Liners has provided them with another mechanism for deriving the moisture , The Glory of Autumn: What Causes the Color? and nutrients they need to survive. Though many Tillandsia species have a developed root , Hydroponics Gardening - An Introduction To Hydroponics Gardening For Beginners (part 13) Oxygen system, its primary purpose is to secure these epiphytic plants , Harmonize Your Yard: 8 Ways to Add Feng Shui Outdoors to a host. Tillandsia leaves have specially developed cells called scales or trichomes that allow water , Harry Lauder's Walking Stick and nutrients to be taken in from rain, the air, , Adirondack Furniture - What It is and Why You Want It and dust. When opened, these cells give the plants , Economically Design Your Own Landscape Lighting their silvery-gray, somewhat ashy appearance.

The trichomes work like trap doors; as the plant , Winterizing Your Roses dries out, the trichomes open to absorb more moisture , Teak Furniture - The Proper Way to Care For & Clean It and nutrients. Once sufficient hydration is achieved, the trichomes close to retain the moisture. , Winterizing Your Roses Plants , This Fall, Give Your Trees Some TLC whose leaves have a dense concentration of trichomes are generally from an environment , How to Build Fences that is sunny and dry, and their leaves tend to be grayer and stiffer than those plants , 5 Great Tips For Building A Fish Pond from a humid and shady environment. , Forest Tent Caterpillars The dense concentration of trichomes on the leaf's surface allows the plant , Tips for Preparing a ing Bed to absorb more moisture , Aluminum Sling Patio Furniture. Comfortable Seating for Outdoor Settings and to reflect the harsh effects of the sun. , Marble Mosaic Art

Tillandsias have truly exquisite foliage. Although when in bloom they are magnificent in appearance, their foliage is their outstanding feature. , Organic Solutions For Pest Control Most tillandsia only bloom once in their lifetime. After blooming, pups or offsets form around the base or axil of the plants, , Organic Solutions For Pest Control and will eventually mature and complete their blooming cycle in one to several years. Propagating tillandsia from seed , Natural Algae Fighters That Work can require the patience of Job since it can take from four to seven years to do so. It is much easier and quicker to propagate by separating the offsets from the "mother"Â plant , Harry Lauder's Walking Stick after they have reach about Ã‚Â½ "her"Â size.

Create some very eye-catching live plant , Fiberglass Pond Liners arrangements using only tillandsia or by combining them with other plants. , The Glory of Autumn: What Causes the Color? Since soil , Outdoor Lighting Fixtures Increase Safety and Decrease Expense is not a requirement for growing , Gardening with Garden Decor tillandsia, more display possibilities are available than with traditional plants. , Harry Lauder's Walking Stick Although displaying your plants , Controlling Spider Mites can be as simple as hanging them by their roots , Patio Chair Covers from a piece of non-copper wire or fishing line, you can use waterproof adhesives such as Liquid Nail, , Natural Algae Fighters That Work Goop or even hot , Lawn Edging glue to attach your plants , Easy Hypertufa ers to any substrate that can handle frequent watering. Yes, watering is necessary! The common name for tillandsia, Airplant, is somewhat of a misnomer. In their natural , Teak Furniture - The Proper Way to Care For & Clean It habitat, tillandsias are able to derive all the moisture , Easy Hypertufa Planters and nutrients they need from their surrounding. Once removed from that habitat, , Gardening - Growing Herbs In Containers it is necessary to provide water, , Organic Solutions For Pest Control light, , Preformed Pond Liners air , Easy Hypertufa Planters circulation and an occasional feeding.

A good dripping-wet watering should be given at least once a week, more depending on the growing , Finding the Best Pond Pumps conditions. Provide bright indirect lighting; natural , Harmonize Your Yard: 8 Ways to Add Feng Shui Outdoors sunlight or artificial lighting is acceptable. Though not necessary, feeding your plants , Easy Hypertufa ers monthly with a bromeliad fertilizer or with Rapid Grow/Miracle Grow , Garden Folklore: Plants Thrive in Good Company fertilizers at Ã‚Â¼ strength during the months of March - October will greatly enhance growth and blooming. Supply enough air , Winterizing Your Roses circulation to allow your plants , Teak Furniture - The Proper Way to Care For & Clean It to dry, after watering, in three to four hours. Tillandsias are amazingly resilient plants, , Fiberglass Pond Liners able to survive under some of the worst growing , Canopy Swings - Escape the Weather with One conditions. Plant , Canopy Swings - Escape the Weather with One enthusiasts will love the ease of becoming a successful grower of Tillandsia.

Arthur Comer - EzineArticles Expert Author

Arthur Comer is the author of The Beginner's Guide to Successfully Growing , Porch Swing Places: Where to Put a Porch Swing Tillandsias (ISBN 0-9752760-0-X). He is the owner and general manager of the mail order Specialty Plants , Porch Swing Places: Where to Put a Porch Swing Company, ALCJR ENTERPRISES. The Virginia Gardener Magazine published a featured article by Arthur in its April 2005 issue. Additional growing tips, , Edible Flowers images and a wealth of information , Porch Swing Places: Where to Put a Porch Swing about these unique plants , The Glory of Autumn: What Causes the Color? is available at his web , Porch Swing Places: Where to Put a Porch Swing site. http://www.alcjr.com

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Tillandsia "Airplants" - Don't Plant These Plants!

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