Tillandsia neglecta (mini)
Epiphytic tropical Tillandsia from South America. It does not require soil, thrives well in semi-shaded locations, and absorbs moisture through its leaves.
Tillandsia neglecta originates from the coastal regions of Brazil, particularly from the Atlantic rainforest near Rio de Janeiro. It was described by John Gilbert Baker in 1896.
The species name "neglecta" means "neglected" or "overlooked" – presumably a reference to the fact that this species remained largely unnoticed for a long time despite its beauty.
Characteristics:
Tillandsia neglecta forms dense, hemispherical rosettes with strong, gray-green leaves, which are often reddish at the base. The plant grows compactly but over time becomes a striking clump as it produces numerous offsets. Particularly noteworthy are the bright pink to red bracts and the vibrant violet flowers, which usually appear in spring.
Care Instructions:
Light: Very bright to sunny, can also tolerate direct sunlight with adequate humidity.
Water: Spray 2–3 times a week or briefly submerge. Then allow to dry completely.
Humidity: Medium to high (from 50%), good ventilation is required.
Fertilizer: In spring and summer, 1–2 times a month with our special bromeliad or orchid fertilizer in diluted form.
Temperature: 16–30 °C, briefly also possible down to about 5 °C frost-free.
Note: Tillandsia neglecta is robust and grows quickly into larger groups with good care. Ideal for bright window spots or protected outdoor areas in summer.
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.
