Tillandsia fresnilloensis
Epiphytic dry Tillandsia from South America. It requires no soil, thrives well in bright locations, and absorbs moisture through its leaves.
Tillandsia fresnilloensis is a rarely cultivated species from Mexico, specifically from the vicinity of Fresnillo in the state of Zacatecas. It was described in 1976 by Werner Rauh and Walter Till. The species name directly refers to its location and is an example of regionally named Tillandsias.
Characteristics:
Tillandsia fresnilloensis forms medium-sized, loosely funnel-shaped rosettes with gray-green, linear leaves that are distinctly covered with trichomes. The mostly simple, upright inflorescence bears bright pink to reddish bracts and violet tubular flowers. The plant is quite robust and grows slowly but reliably under dry conditions.
Care Instructions:
Light: Very bright to sunny – prefers a fully sunny location with adequate humidity.
Water: Spray 2–3 times a week or occasionally soak. Allow to dry well afterwards.
Humidity: Medium (50–60%) – can tolerate dry air phases with good ventilation.
Fertilizer: In spring and summer, 1–2 times per month with our special Tillandsia or orchid fertilizer in diluted form.
Temperature: 18–30 °C, can temporarily withstand up to about 10 °C frost-free.
Note: A rare, collectible species with regional character. It is well-suited for airy arrangements or bright window spots with a dry microclimate.
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.
