Tillandsia caput-medusae
Tillandsia caput-medusae is an unusually shaped species from Mexico and Central America. It was named by Édouard Morren in 1825.
The name "caput-medusae" means "head of Medusa" and refers to the snake-like twisted leaves that resemble the head of the Gorgon Medusa from Greek mythology.
Characteristics:
This species has a thick, bulbous base with long, winding, silvery-green leaves. It grows in a rosette shape and develops a short, thick flower spike with bright red bracts and violet tubular flowers during the flowering period. Each plant only blooms once, but usually produces several offsets afterward.
Care Instructions:
Light: Bright to sunny, but no direct midday sun. Morning or evening sun is well tolerated.
Water: Spray vigorously 2-3 times a week or occasionally soak. Allow the base to dry well—no waterlogging!
Humidity: Medium to high (50%+), air circulation is important to prevent rot.
Fertilizer: We recommend using our special Tillandsia or orchid fertilizer in diluted form 1-2 times per month during spring and summer.
Temperature: 16-30 °C, sensitive below 10 °C—cultivate warm and airy.
Note: Very decorative as a single plant on wood or in mesh containers. Its spectacular shape makes it a focal point in any collection. Easy to care for, as long as waterlogging is avoided.
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.
