FUN FACTS ABOUT TILLANDSIA'S

Since posting the article "My New Obsession", I've received several inquiries on Tillandsia's.  For this posting, I wanted to write a few fun facts on Tillandsia’s and how they differ from other plants.  I hope this answers many of your questions or curiosities.  ;)

• Tillandsia's are named after the Swedish physician - Elias Tillands.
• Tillandsia's are members of the Bromeliad family.
• They grow on anything, they hang from anything.  
• They grow upside down, right side up, or sideways.

• They grow on tree trunks, branches, shrubs, cacti, rocks, and cliff faces.
• They're root systems function to hold the plant stable, and not to absorb nutrients.
• There are over 550 different Tillandsia species.
• There are two major types of Tillandsia's:  those with hard leaves, and those with soft leaves.
• Some but few are fragrant.
•  It can take years for them to grow and mature.
• Sizes vary.  Some are about an inch in height while others grow over 40 inches tall.
• Flowers tend to be tubular and range in color from purple, blue, white, pink or yellow.
• Reproduction is by seeds or by offsets called "pups".
• A single plant could have many "pups".

If you would like more information on Tillandsia’s or would like to make a purchase, send me an email at ldiaz@sweepingdimensions.com.  

MY NEW OBSESSION

Earlier this year I stumbled upon a unique type of plant that by their shear unique appearances caught my eye.  One of them I bought just because it looked like something you’d find on another planet. Tillandsia’s better know as air plants grow without soil or in typical plant containers and are easy to maintain – a huge plus in my book.  Tillandsia’s absorb moisture and nutrients from the air around them through their leaves and not through their roots, which they use as anchors. Why is this important?  We spend about 90% of our time indoors, and improving the quality of air we breathe should be a priority especially for allergy sufferers. Tillandsia’s help clean the air in our homes and offices.  They are one type of plant that function as efficient air detoxifiers removing toxins from the air.

In every room I have placed these plants in there is a tranquility that comes over me when I’m there.  Tillandsia’s with their unique shapes and colors offer a spa-like zen that I absolutely love.  Whether it’s the natural elements (wood, rocks, moss, seashells) I arrange them in or the fact that I relax when I’m home, I can’t get enough of them. They look sophisticated, exotic, and very non-traditional.  

If you would like more information on Tillandsia’s or would like to purchase, send me an email at ldiaz@sweepingdimensions.com.