Tillandsia is a genus of around 650 species of evergreen, perennial flowering plants in the family Bromeliaceae, native to the forests, mountains and deserts of northern Mexico and south-eastern United States, Mesoamerica and the Caribbean to mid Argentina.
Some common types of Tillandsia include Ionantha (below)
ball moss ( T. recurvata )
and Spanish moss ( T. usneoides )
They are also commonly known as air plants because of their natural propensity to cling wherever conditions permit: telephone wires, tree branches, barks, bare rocks, etc. Their light seeds and a silky parachute facilitate this spread.
Most Tillandsia species are epiphytes – which translates to 'upon a plant'. Some are aerophytes, which have a minimal root system and grow on shifting desert soil. Due to their epiphytic way of life these plants will not grow in soil, but live on the branches of trees, in deserts and on other substrates that will not be saturated with water for very long.
How was the Tillandsia Named?
The genus Tillandsia was named by Carl Linnaeus after the Swedish physician and botanist Dr. Elias Tillandz (originally Tillander) (1640–1693).
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