Tillandsia plagiotropica (large)
Epiphytic tropical Tillandsia from South America. It does not require soil, thrives well in semi-shaded locations, and absorbs moisture through its leaves.
Tillandsia plagiotropica is a rare species from the genus Tillandsia, native to Mexico and parts of Central America. There, it grows epiphytically on trees in dry to seasonally moist forests and is adapted to bright, airy locations. The species is particularly popular among collectors due to its elegant growth and striking inflorescence.
Characteristics:
Tillandsia plagiotropica forms a medium-sized rosette with narrow, slightly curved, silvery-green leaves densely covered with fine trichomes. The plant develops a characteristic, usually obliquely protruding to slightly overhanging inflorescence with pink to red bracts, from which violet-colored flowers emerge. After flowering, Tillandsia plagiotropica typically produces several offsets and grows over time into attractive clumps.
Care Instructions:
Light: bright to very bright location; direct morning or evening sun is well tolerated. Water: regularly mist or briefly soak; allow to dry completely between waterings. Humidity: prefers moderate to high humidity with good air circulation. Fertilizer: in spring and summer, 1-2 times per month with our special Tillandsia or orchid fertilizer in diluted form. Temperature: optimal 18-28 °C; in winter, preferably not below 10-12 °C.
Note: Tillandsia plagiotropica thrives best on cork, wood, or other breathable substrates. Good ventilation and complete drying after watering are crucial to avoid rot and keep the plant healthy in the long term.
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.