Tillandsia stellifera
Tillandsia stellifera is a rarer species from the Andean regions of Peru and Bolivia. It was described by Lyman B. Smith in 1953.
The species name "stellifera" means "star-shaped" and refers to the striking, ray-like leaf arrangement of the rosette.
Characteristics:
This species forms compact, star-shaped rosettes with relatively stiff, silvery-green leaves that exhibit an almost velvety surface due to dense trichomes. The inflorescence is rather short and bears individual, violet tubular flowers surrounded by pink bracts. The plant appears very orderly and decorative due to its symmetrical structure.
Care Instructions:
Light: Very bright to sunny, with direct sunlight in the morning or evening.
Water: Thoroughly mist 2-3 times a week or briefly soak. Then allow to dry well.
Humidity: Medium to high (from 50%), airy location is important.
Fertilizer: In spring and summer, 1-2 times a month with our special Tillandsia or orchid fertilizer in diluted form.
Temperature: 16-28 °C, temporarily frost-free down to about 5 °C.
Note: Tillandsia stellifera is ideal for compact presentations on cork, wood, or in decorative containers. Its regular rosette shape makes it a stylish addition to structured arrangements and discerning collections.
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.
