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lme5573

Tillandsia Jumped into my cart

lme5573
10 years ago

I was getting groceries this morning, and this Christmas ornament caught my eye. You can see it on the left in my pix. It has some white stuff, I'm not sure if it's moss or some artificial stuff. I picked this Tillie because it has lots of red and the leaves have a nice curl. When I got it home, I discovered the Tillie was standing in water! Someone had watered the globe, and I know that isn't good for airplants. I pulled it out and pulled off most of the moss. Now it's drying in my plant stand.

I would like to know if I should pick off the rest of the white stuff? It's glued to the outer leaves, and I might remove the leaves along with the moss.

If I can get the globe cleaned, could I put the Tillie back and remove it when I mist it? Right now I just want to let the poor thing dry out. It was really sopping wet.

Thanks for any input!
Lennie in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Comments (8)

  • hotdiggetydam
    10 years ago

    Looks good now that you dried it off. Keep the moss damp below in the globe if it sets upright and mist as needed.

  • lme5573
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks, hotdiggetydam. :-)
    In spite of the standing water in the globe, I think it needs a little misting. The one on the right was in a pumpkin (Halloween deco) and I liberated that one yesterday. I think the one on the right is T. Ionantha of some sort, but not sure about the left hand one. They are standing in lids from peanut jars, but not glued to the pebbles.
    Lennie

  • hotdiggetydam
    10 years ago

    Maybe gonz will pop by here and ID the one on the left for you. I grow only a few Tillys. Neo's are my passion when it comes to bromeliads.

  • rataho
    10 years ago

    The one on the left looks like T. abdita or a small T. brachycaulos (usually larger before showing red flush). The one on the right is one of the T. ionanthas for sure, while the one in the glass globe probably is as well but could be a T. kolbii. T. kolbii has wider leaf bases and is a little floppier in structure. It's flower is different and quite spectacular. Check out the link for Rainforest Flora for help with IDs and other info. As to the tillie in the glass globe, personal call on the reindeer moss. You always have to be careful of anything that holds moisture connected to the basal plate (I would trim off as much as I could with small scissors). When you water make sure the surface of the tillie is dry before putting it back in the globe. The leaves themselves will absorb plenty of moisture if you give them a good drenching. I'd avoid spraying into the globe. Happy holidays

    Here is a link that might be useful: Rainforest Flora

  • lme5573
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks for the link, RaTaHo, lots of good info and pictures. I can see I'll have to wait for blooms to be sure what I have. I thought the one in the globe was very soft and floppy, but it dried up and is very firm. I like the curly leaves, but they are losing the burgundy are much greener.
    Thanks again for the link, I've bookmarked it.
    Lennie in Grand Rapids, Michigan

  • hotdiggetydam
    10 years ago

    Lennie you have to grow your plants in a greenhouse in winter?

  • lme5573
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    @hotdiggetydam - I have no greenhouse, I have a light stand in a spare bedroom. My husband built a 2 shelf plant stand when we were first married, and I've kept him and the plant stand around for more than 40 years now. LOL.

    Over the years I've kept African violets, Christmas and Thanksgiving cactus, and now I'm keeping various crassula ovata. Tillies are so small and I can tuck them into different corners, I always enjoy a new plant. :-)

    I live in Michigan, and it's been a terrible winter here. We have 6" of snow on the ground and are expecting another 4" today. It was 10F above zero this morning, and the dog really didn't want to walk any farther than she had to.

    Well, who could blame her, I didn't want to walk, either. :-)

    Lennie in frigid SW Lower Michigan

  • hotdiggetydam
    10 years ago

    You winter is as cold as my summers are hot. But you are doing a good job keep it up :)

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