Tillandsia pruinosa
Epiphytic dry Tillandsia from South America. It does not require soil, thrives well in bright locations, and absorbs moisture through its leaves.
Tillandsia pruinosa is an unusually shaped species with a wide distribution from Mexico through the Caribbean to northern South America. It was described by Olof Swartz in 1788.
The species name "pruinosa" means "frosted" or "covered with frost" – a reference to the dense, gray-white layer of trichomes that gives it an almost frosty appearance.
Characteristics:
Tillandsia pruinosa has a compact, often spirally twisted growth form with soft, flexible leaves that lay closely together. The heavily fuzzy surface gives it a velvety, almost fuzzy appearance. The short inflorescence usually shows a single, violet-blue tube with pink bracts. This species belongs to the "soft-leaved" Tillandsias and is very distinctive due to its structure.
Care Instructions:
Light: Bright to semi-shady, no direct midday sun. Water: Mist gently 2–3 times per week, soaking baths only with good ventilation. Humidity: Medium to high (above 50%), good air movement is crucial. Fertilizer: In spring and summer, 1–2 times per month with our special Tillandsia or orchid fertilizer in diluted form. Temperature: 16–28 °C, briefly frost-free down to about 5 °C possible.
Note: Tillandsia pruinosa is ideal for airy, protected locations – e.g., in glass globes, on cork or pieces of wood. Due to its soft structure, it should not be pressed or squished. Particularly decorative when combined with other soft-leaved 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.
