Tillandsia crocata is native to South America and more particularly from Bolivia and South Brazil to Uruguay. It can be found at fairly high altitudes.
Tillandsia crocata, also called as Phytarrhiza crocata, Tillandsia mandonii, is a species of the genus Tillandsia. This species was described by Nicholas Edward Brown in 1882.
IDENTIFY TILLANDSIA CROCATA AIR PLANT
Tillandsia crocata is native to South America and more particularly from Bolivia and South Brazil to Uruguay. It can be found at fairly high altitudes.
It is a small sized epiphyte (less than 20 cm), caulescent species that quickly forming beautiful small tufts with couplets leaves. The sheaths are free of scales at the base. The limbs are bent and shaped like a gutter.
This air plant bloom from the simple inflorescence with a peduncle of 10 to 15 cm (much larger for the cultivar 'Rutschmann's Orange' or Orange form). The ear bears 2 to 4 flowers. The bracts of the flowering stem are absent or few and resemble leaves. The floral bracts are imbricate, green and very scaly. The very fragrant flowers are almost sessile, non-tubular. The color of the petals is a beautiful golden yellow (orange for the cultivar 'Rutschmann's Orange' or Orange form). The stamens and pistil are included.
TILLANDSIA CROCATA AIR PLANT CARE AND CULTURE
Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.
Light:
Tillandsia crocata requires good light and enjoys full sun (avoid the afternoon in summer if the plant is young or has not been used). Place the plant very close to a window indoors in the winter and preferably outside the summer in a sunny situation.
Temperature:
The required temperature ranging from 10 to 32°C. This species seems quite tolerant to the cold The plants can faced temperatures close to 0 ° C (sheltered and dry) for a few hours without damage.
Humidity:
This air plant need the low to moderate level of humidity. Good aeration is required, the plant must dry quickly (in less than an hour).
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Tillandsia crocata refer to be mounted on a solid substrate that does not retain water. You can glue the plant directly to the surface with a strong adhesive, or you can wire the plant to the base. Don't cover the base of the plant with moss or it may rot. It can be grown on almost any imaginable decorative mount, including shells, rocks, slate, driftwood, etc.
Watering:
Twice a week in summer, once a week in winter according to the luminosity and the ambient humidity. Obviously when it rains and if you grow it outside, it counts as a watering.
Fertilizer:
This air plant can be fertilized with the moderate doses. 1 to 2 times a month in the summer and 1 time a month in the winter.
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