Tillandsia arizae-juliae
Tillandsia arizae-juliae is a rare and relatively uncommon species from Colombia. It was described by José Manuel Manzanares in 1984. The name likely honors a person or family named Ariza Julia, although the exact dedication is not fully documented.
Characteristics:
It forms dense rosettes of narrow, silvery-gray leaves. The flower displays bright red bracts and purple tubular flowers – an attractive contrast.
Care instructions:
Light: Semi-shade to bright, but no direct intense sunlight – filtered light is ideal. Water: Spray 2–3 times per week with low-calcium water or occasionally dip briefly. Then allow to dry well. Humidity: High (60%+), good air movement required. Fertilizer: We recommend using our special Tillandsia or orchid fertilizer in diluted form 1–2 times per month in spring and summer. Temperature: 18–28 °C, no prolonged cold spells. Keep frost-free.
Note: Due to its silvery leaves, it is particularly sensitive to direct sunlight. Ideal for airy mounts, cork, or shady glass containers.
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.
