Keep her soil lightly moist and pour a little water into her central crevice, or ‘cup’. Water with filtered or rainwater weekly.
She will thrive in bright light but not harsh, direct sun. Near a window is a perfect position.
Danielle is used to the rainforest so will enjoy high humidity. Pop her in a bright, steamy kitchen or bathroom or mist her regularly with room temperature water.
Botanical name
Tillandsia ‘Andreas’
Nickname
Pink Quill Plant
Plant type
Indoor evergreen
Plant height (including pot)
40-50cm
Pet/baby safe
Yes
Nursery pot size
12cm
Tillandsia are more commonly known as air plants because they don’t actually need soil to survive. They are epiphytic which means they grow in the branches of treetops and in the crevices of rocks. They have short wiry roots which they use to grip onto rough surfaces. They keep hydrated by holding water in the central cup where the rosette of their leaves gather but also through specially adapted cells in their leaves that absorb moisture from the air. You can make them feel right at home by keeping them in your kitchen or bathroom and by watering them with distilled water or even better, rainwater.
In the wild, Tillandsias get their nutrients from decomposed leaves, insects and monkey droppings. While we don’t suggest you get a pet monkey, we do suggest that you feed your plant a dilute liquid plant food every few weeks from spring through to the end of summer.
Originating from subtropical areas of Mexico and South America, Tillandsia are part of the Bromeliad family, and are relatives of Lorenzo and Kenan. Although the top of the plant looks like a flower, it’s actually a collection of Barbie-pink leaves called ‘bracts’ - which give it the common name ‘Pink Quill Plant’. The flowers themselves are purple, and will emerge from the colourful bracts in Spring or Autumn. This ‘flower’ spike will live for about five months before dying back and will not flower again. Don’t worry, the next generation of flowers will grow from the new plants or ‘offsets’ growing from the base of the plant.
Did you know?
In the wild, Tillandsia don’t have to rely on rainfall because they’ve adapted to get the moisture they need from misty or foggy air.
£24.00
Fits pots 12.5-14.5cm
£12.00
Fits pots 12.5-14.5cm
£75.00
Fits pots 28-32cm
From £10.00
From £15.00
£10.00
Fits pots 12.5-14.5cm
£55.00
Fits pots 25-30cm
£18.00
Fits pots 16cm-18cm
£24.00
Fits pots 12.5-14.5cm
£24.00
Fits pots 12.5-14.5cm
£32.00
£16.00
Fits pots 12.5-14.5cm
£12.00
Fits pots 12.5-14.5cm
£18.00
Fits pots 12.5-14.5cm
