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joss_1

Tillandsia For South Florida?

joss-1
9 years ago

Hi All, Can anyone recommend several tillandsia that will do well in South Florida weather, other than our natives? I'm not exactly new to these, but still learning the hard way which ones suffer in our heat and which will thrive. We have a rainy season for a few months each year... the rest of the year is pretty dry and almost always warm/hot. I can move them undercover, but would love to have some that I can just leave alone in the heat and rain. I want some that I can attach to the trees. During the dry periods I can water as often as needed. I like clumpers. Thanks for any suggestions! Jim

Comments (6)

  • hotdiggetydam
    9 years ago

    Try a xerographica ..put it in a orchid basket and left it alone

  • turtlewalker34205
    9 years ago

    Almost any Tillandsia will do well outside in South Florida weather. I'm in Bradenton, Fl and all do well outside. Most I do not water.

  • joss-1
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi, Thanks for replying, but my reason for posting the question is because I've already experienced damage to several tillandsia from receiving too much rain. I know what the signs are... the inside "cup" area gets brown spots which looks similar to rot on the inside of bromeliads when they hold water for too long. Eventually they'll rot and smell. So, there are many that won't handle this much water and I'm hoping to hear from someone who can recommend ones that can handle a lot of rain. Just for extra info... due to too much rain I've lost some Butzii, Bergeri, Houston 'Cotton candy', Flavo-Bracteata, Rodrigueziana, Ionantha x Fasciculata, Ixioides and Exserta to name a few that were not able to take so much rain. Oh, and the xerographica can't handle this much rain. They quickly spot when water sits inside of them for more than 20 minutes at a time. I've even tried growing the xero's upside down, but they eventually grow outward and then up again so that they are once again face up and collecting water. Even some of my xero's that are still upside down turned spotted from being too wet. They do not like to be wet at all and they get ugly pretty fast. Even certain fasciculata have turned brown in the center, most likely ones which normally grow in dryer climates. So, if anyone can suggest names of some tillandsia that can handle being wet for a period of time I would love to give them a try. Thanks!! Jim

  • hotdiggetydam
    9 years ago

    I keep mine on my porches and the humidity here makes them very happy...not many tillys like a lot of water without totally drying out.

  • turtlewalker34205
    9 years ago

    The Tillandsia's that hold water you mount upside down (see my photo in the last post) so the water doesn't stay on them. Or grow them under the eaves of the house so no rain hits them. It's not hard on grow them in Fl. The photo below is Tillandsia hildae hanging under the eave of my house.

  • joss-1
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thank you, I appreciate the ideas. I've tried mounting upside down, but after several months the majority of them start to grow outward and then up again so that they start to collect water again and rot. My eaves is only about 18"s and not enough protection from the rain. I'm looking for some that I can mount on trees, so they'll have to be able to handle the rainy season. I just figure that if Florida has several tillandsia that grow in our rainy seasons successfully, that there must be other Countries that get a rainy season as well and that have tillandsia? I have several fasciculata types, rothii, roland-g's, jalisco-monticola, magnispica, intermedia, espinaea, etc... that have done well in our rainy seasons. I'm always experimenting, but usually fail after one season. Online doesn't give much detailed info about the rainfall these areas get where the tillandsia grow, so I'm still hoping that someone out there has found some other varieties that don't seem to mind being wetter than others. I would assume there are rainy seasons in some of the more tropical areas that tillandsia grow... those are the ones I'm trying to find the names of. Maybe some Cuban varieties or some from the Caribbean? I appreciate the suggestions! Jim

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