Tillandsia flabellata
Tillandsia flabellata is a striking, medium-sized species from the humid rainforests of Mexico and Central America. It was described by John Lindley in 1830.
The name "flabellata" means "fan-shaped" and refers to the shape of the inflorescence. This species belongs to the subgenus Tillandsia and impresses with its bright colors.
Characteristics:
Tillandsia flabellata forms soft, green rosettes with broad, flexible leaves. The inflorescence is unbranched or slightly branched, arranged in a fan shape, and displays bright red to pink floral bracts. The tubular flowers are violet to lavender in color. The plant grows relatively quickly and typically produces several offsets after flowering.
Care Instructions:
Light: Bright to partially shaded – prefers filtered light or morning/evening sun. Avoid direct midday sun. Water: Thoroughly mist or soak 2–4 times per week. Allow the leaf rosette to dry well afterward. Humidity: High (60–80%) – loves a humid microclimate with regular air movement. Fertilizer: In spring and summer, 1–2 times per month with our special Tillandsia or orchid fertilizer in diluted form. Temperature: 18–30 °C, no temperatures below 12 °C – warmth-loving, sensitive to cold and dryness.
Note: Particularly well-suited for bright bathrooms, terrariums, or greenhouses. With its color-intensive inflorescence, it is a real eye-catcher – ideal for enthusiasts of tropical Tillandsia species.
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.
