Tillandsia recurvata Pulk
epiphytic cluster of a dry Tillandsia from South America. It requires no soil, thrives well in bright locations, and absorbs moisture through its leaves.
Tillandsia recurvata is a widely distributed, small species from the dry zones of Central and South America as well as the southern United States. It was described by Carl von Linné in 1753.
The name "recurvata" means "curved back" and refers to the typical leaves that are bent outward.
Characteristics:
Tillandsia recurvata forms small, rounded balls of narrow, heavily trichome-covered leaves that arch in all directions. The species often grows epiphytically in colonies on power lines, branches, and other exposed locations. Its flowers are inconspicuous – usually violet and short-tubed – and appear several times a year under favorable conditions. It belongs to the so-called "ball Tillandsias."
Care Instructions:
Light: Full sun to very bright, best suited for south-facing windows or outdoor conditions in summer.
Water: Lightly mist 1-2 times per week. Very drought tolerant.
Humidity: Low to medium (from 30%), tolerates air-dry conditions well.
Fertilizer: In spring and summer, 1-2 times per month with our special Tillandsia or orchid fertilizer in diluted form.
Temperature: 15-35 °C, very heat tolerant. Short-term frost-resistant down to about -3 °C.
Note: Tillandsia recurvata is extremely easy to care for and is perfect for bright, dry locations – even outdoors. Particularly decorative when grouped or hung on thin branches. Ideal for beginners or minimalist Tillandsia arrangements.
Our greenhouses are equipped with modern energy screens and double glazing to efficiently save on heating costs. Additionally, we collect rainwater over the entire roof area of 9,000 square meters and use only this water to irrigate all our crops. We collect the rainwater in underground tanks with a total volume of 600,000 liters.
Since 2007, we have been heating our entire operation with a fully automated 850 kW wood chip heating system and a 100,000-liter buffer storage tank. Environmentally friendly and CO2-neutral. Only to support during very cold winter days and nights is a conventional oil heating system available.
Since 2014, the heating has been supported by a solar thermal system with an annual yield of about 20 megawatt-hours.
In 2020, we installed a photovoltaic system with 30 kW peak and have been producing more green electricity per year than our entire operation requires.
Since 2021, we use exclusively pots for our self-produced plants that are not only 100% recyclable but are also entirely made from recycled pots. To this end, we collect all used pots that arise in our operation and have them picked up in big bags by our pot supplier Göttinger. There, the pots are cleaned and processed in a water-free recycling facility into new pots that come back to us.
