Tillandsia paleacea
Epiphytic dry Tillandsia from South America. It requires no soil, thrives well in bright locations, and absorbs moisture through its leaves.
Tillandsia paleacea is a hardy, drought-resistant species from the desert-like highlands of Peru, Bolivia, and Colombia. It was first described in 1798 by the Spanish botanist Hipólito Ruiz López.
The species name "paleacea" refers to the scale-like trichomes ("paleae") that give the plant its characteristic silvery appearance.
Characteristics:
Tillandsia paleacea forms long, slender rosettes with narrow, heavily hairy leaves that appear silvery-gray to almost white. The plants usually grow in slightly curved clusters and over time form loose, hanging mats. The inflorescence is rather inconspicuous with small, pale violet flowers. Its subtle, silvery appearance and robustness make it a popular species for dry, well-ventilated arrangements.
Care Instructions:
Light: Very bright to sunny; direct sunlight is also well tolerated. Water: Mist 1–2 times per week or briefly soak. Dry phases are well tolerated.
Humidity: Low to medium (from about 40%); very good air circulation is required.
Fertilizer: In spring and summer, 1–2 times per month with our special Tillandsia or orchid fertilizer in diluted form.
Temperature: 15–30 °C, extremely heat and drought tolerant; briefly frost-free down to about 5 °C.
Note: Tillandsia paleacea is particularly easy to care for and ideal for warm, dry locations with plenty of light. Hanging on wire, wood, or cork, it presents itself most beautifully. It is excellent for beginners or as a contrast to greener 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.
