Tillandsia ionantha blooming

[toditd]

After several years my Tillandsia ionantha finally decided to bloom! Now, if I can only coax it into forming a nice cluster. But really, I'm surprised that I've kept it alive for several years.

Tillandsia ionantha

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[toditd]

Two flowers open and a third on its way.

Tillandsia ionantha

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[Viegener]

These can't be that easy to grow in Phoenix. I have lots of Tillandsias in LA but it's less dry here and less hot. Overall I'd say they're much slower than agaves or aloes or most of the xeric plants on Agaveville.

[toditd]

Well, I have not had much success with tillies in Phoenix. I've tried 5 others, T. stricta, T. fuchsii var. gracilis, T. bergeri, T. bulbosa, and T. ionantha Mexico. I don't think any of them survived more than two 1/2 years in my care. The T. ionantha Mexico was the only one that bloomed and then it promptly died. None ever pupped or clumped. All were grown indoors, as is this one. I don't think they'd stand a chance outdoors here in the summer, too hot and dry.

This one, I think its T. ionantha Guatemala, is getting much more direct window sun and I soak it almost exclusively in collected rain water. It seems pretty happy at the moment.

[mcvansoest]

Strictly indoors for us as well, but we have had some for well over 5 years now, not sure about specific species/cultivar, but they are on the smaller side, they came in small sea urchin shells, some have bloomed and produced pups, we have been working on a number of the much larger ones, not with 100% success, but not that many losses.
We soak them once a week in RO water for about 20-30 minutes, some are in north facing windows others are near grow lights.
They are pretty commonly for sale at nurseries here - for VotS residents: the summerwinds nursery near me (Country Club in Mesa) has a good selection of different ones, which makes me suspect the one up in the north Valley will have them too.

[toditd]

Here's the plant (and pup) a year later. Very shortly after flowering the 'tilly' sprouted one pup. The pup is now larger than the parent and is reddening up as if it is about ready to bloom. I'm really amazed how fast the pup grew compared with the much slower growth of the parent. I guess that's because it's been mooching from mama. I won't be separating them as I hope they'll form a nice sized clump someday.

Tillandsia ionantha with pup

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[toditd]

Yup, it's blooming time again, and the leaves have colored up spectacularly!

Tillandsia ionantha in full color blooming mode.

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