Tillandsia bandensis Pulk
Tillandsia bandensis is a small, compact species from the highlands of Bolivia, Paraguay, and northern Argentina. It was described by John Gilbert Baker in 1878.
The name "bandensis" refers to the original distribution area near the Río Banderita or a region called Banda (presumably in present-day Argentina).
Characteristics:
It forms dense, gray-green rosettes with narrow, upright leaves. The delicate flower displays purple tubular flowers with reddish to greenish bracts – often multiple times a year.
Care instructions:
Light: Very bright to sunny, can also tolerate full sun with good humidity.
Water: Spray 2–3 times per week or briefly submerge. Afterwards, allow to dry completely.
Humidity: Medium to high (50%+), air circulation required.
Fertilizer: We recommend using our special Tillandsia or orchid fertilizer in diluted form 1–2 times per month in spring and summer.
Temperature: 16–28 °C, relatively frost-resistant (briefly down to about 5 °C frost-free).
Note: Ideal for airy locations and small containers or pieces of cork. Low maintenance and well-suited for collections of compact 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.
