Tillandsia australis – Flowering plants

Tillandsia australis is a large, attractive, ornamental bromeliad which can be grown as both a huge saxicolous or occasionally epiphyte monocarpic bromeliad. It forms a star-shaped rosette and the foliage of the rosette overlaps basally to forms a reservoir, in which rainfall and leaf litter can accumulate, allowing the plant to draw upon their water reservoir during periods of drought. The flower stalk is stout, erect, and then pending. Scape-bracts densely imbricate, foliaceous. The inflorescence is 32 to 95 inches long dark-red or purple, amply two times branched, very variable, glabrous. The flowers are suberect, sepals free, subobtuse, submembranous, strongly nerved, the adaxial carinate. The petals are violet. Stamens included.

Scientific classification:

Family: Bromeliaceae
Subfamily: Tillandsioideae
Genus: Tillandsia
Subgenus: Allardtia
Species: T. australis

Scientific Name: Tillandsia australis
Common Name: Air plant.

How to grow and maintain Tillandsia australis (Air plant):

Light:
It thrives well in bright light, but not direct sunlight, and grows best where it will get morning sun, but will also grow equally well in the direct mid-day sun in hot summer climates. Low light often diminishes the inflorescence colors.

Mounting:
Tillandsia australis refers to be mounted on a solid substrate that does not retain water. You can glue the plant directly to the surface with a strong adhesive or you can wire the plant to the base. It can be grown on almost any imaginable decorative mount, including shells, rocks, slate, driftwood, etc. It can also be grown in the ground or in containers filled with very aerated, porous, draining, moisture-retentive, and rich organic substance substrata, but it can also be grown epiphytically and roots are covered with moss or coarsely crushed tree.

Water:
Water two to four times a week with a mister. If your environment is dry, mist daily. Water until leaves is thoroughly wet. The water that runs off should be enough to wet the roots. Do not soak the base of a plant. Use rainwater or filtered tap water for misting your plant. Soft water contains too much salt and some tap water contains chlorine and fluoride that can leave water spots on foliage.

Temperature:
Tillandsia australis thrives well in average room temperatures 60 degrees Fahrenheit – 75 degrees Fahrenheit / 16 degrees Celsius – 24 degrees Celsius.

Fertilizer:
Fertilize once every month with a low-copper liquid fertilizer, diluted to 1/4 strength.

Propagation:
It can be easily propagated by detaching offsets, or pups, from the base of the mother plant. When the pups are half the size of the mother, they can be divided and mounted on their own. Tillandsia australis can also be grown from seed, but this is a slow process that might take months.

Pests and Diseases:
It has no serious pest or disease problems. Sometimes susceptible to aphids & mealybugs.