Sky Plant
Tillandsia ionantha
A small epiphytic perennial featuring a rosette of narrow, succulent, silver-green to bright green leaves covered in tiny trichomes, which turn vibrant shades of red and purple when blooming.
- Light
- Bright, indirect light for 6 to 8 hours per day; protect from harsh, direct midday sun.
- Water
- Mist 2 to 3 times a week or thoroughly submerge weekly. Shake off excess water to prevent core rot and ensure rapid drying.
- Growth
- Epiphytic perennial forming compact rosettes, typically growing 2 to 4 inches tall and wide with a slow growth rate.
Care instructions
Provide bright, indirect sunlight and submerge the plant in water for 20-30 minutes once a week, ensuring it dries completely within four hours. No soil is required.
Growing details
Sunlight
Bright, indirect light for 6 to 8 hours per day; protect from harsh, direct midday sun.
Watering
Mist 2 to 3 times a week or thoroughly submerge weekly. Shake off excess water to prevent core rot and ensure rapid drying.
Soil
Not applicable; grown epiphytically mounted on wood, bark, or glass globes without soil.
Hardiness zone
USDA Hardiness Zones 9 to 11, strictly kept indoors or in frost-free environments.
Growth habit
Epiphytic perennial forming compact rosettes, typically growing 2 to 4 inches tall and wide with a slow growth rate.
Bloom season
Blooms intermittently, usually in spring or summer, producing tubular violet-blue flowers emerging from bright red or pink bracts.
Propagation
Propagated by removing offsets or 'pups' that form at the base of the parent plant after flowering once they reach a third of the parent's size.
Common pests & issues
Prone to rot if allowed to sit in standing water. Dry brown leaf tips indicate low humidity or insufficient watering.
Similar species
Tillandsia bulbosa, which has a swollen bulbous base, and Tillandsia stricta, which features longer, softer, more upright leaves.