Tillandsia Bulbosa is one of those fascinating plants that will leave your home garden the talk of the town. This bulbous air plant has special tendril leaves that will leave you wondering whether it’s a sea creature or a plant.
This article presents expert tips for taking care of Tillandsia Bulbosa so you can gain the confidence you need to order your own plant.
Contents
What Is an Tillandsia Bulbosa?
Tillandsia Bulbosa is an epiphyte with tendrils that appear from bulbs at the base of the plant. This explains why the plant is referred to as “bulbosa.” Tillandsia Bulbosa plants are also called Bulbosa air plants.
As air plants, they are always in the quest for good aeration.
Tillandsia Bulbosa Care
Caring for Tillandsia Bulbosa is a unique experience as this plant deviates from some of the common care requirements for most houseplants. For instance, you will not need a pot or soil as you would for other plants in your home.
– Water
Interestingly, Tillandsia Bulbosa does not use its rooting system when absorbing water, as is the case with other plants. The main purpose of the roots in Bulbosa air plants is to anchor the plants on rocks or other plants 一 remember, they are epiphytes.
Tillandsia Bulbosa plants get moisture through some tiny structures that appear like hair, which are found on the plant’s leaves. These hair-like structures are called trichomes.
If you grow Tillandsia Bulbosa in a relatively wet region, it will assume a smooth appearance on the leaves. This is because it won’t have too many trichomes on its surface.
For Dry Environment
The case is different if the plant is in drier environments as it will develop moisture-absorbing hair-like structures. This is what gives Tillandsia Bulbosa the silvery or whitish look that it sometimes has.
To give your plant the moisture required, lightly mist it about two to three times a week. Just avoid soaking the foliage as this makes your Bulbosa air plant more susceptible to leaf rot and other fungal infections. Always tip the plant upside-down after a misting procedure to ensure that water does not sit on the leaves of your bulbosa plants.
If you decide to soak your plant, we recommend reducing the misting frequency to once or twice a week in winter. If you decide to place your Tillandsia Bulbosa in a tub of water instead of misting, please gently shake it to remove excess water or, better still, place the plant close to a drier so that the extra water on the plant’s surface will evaporate.
– Light
The most preferable light requirements for Tillandsia Bulbosa are bright, indirect light, or partial shade. However, the plant is flexible enough to perform well when exposed to sunlight for limited periods of time. Artificial, full-spectrum light is also an excellent option for satisfying the light requirements of Tillandsia Bulbosa.
Should you decide to use artificial light, be sure to place your plant within a distance of approximately one foot from the fluorescent light. If natural light is your choice, a spot close to the window gives your Bulbosa air plant the light it needs.
Winter Cultivation Tip
However, be careful not to place your plant close to the windows in winter if your windows are not well-insulated. This protects your plant from exposure to too low temperatures.
It is difficult to give your plant enough natural light during winter. To supplement the natural light, use a grow light bulb in your plant’s vicinity.
– Soil
Placing Tillandsia Bulbosa in any potting soil does more harm than good. The hollow bulb of the plant is capable of retaining moisture, and growing Tillandsia Bulbosa in the soil increases the chances of this happening. Ultimately, your plant is more likely to suffer from root rot.
– Temperature and Humidity
The original climates of Tillandsia Bulbosa plants are the humid environments of Central and South America. Imitating similar conditions of 50 to 70 percent humidity will enhance the growth of your plant.
Misting two or three times, depending on the humidity conditions in your home, will help maintain a more humid environment in the vicinity of your plant. We recommend that you reduce the misting frequency to once or twice a week in winter.
Ideally, the temperatures around your Tillandsia Bulbosa should always be warmer, preferably beyond 55 F. Generally, we recommend temperatures between 50 F and 89 F.
Outdoor Care
Confining your plant to room temperatures slows down its growth rate. If you intend to grow Tillandsia Bulbosa as an outdoor plant, get it early enough in the fall to avoid exposing it to low temperatures that are below 40 F during the night.
The high humidity requirements of Tillandsia Bulbosa should be coupled with adequate aeration. Otherwise, the chances of fungal infections are elevated when there is inadequate airflow.
– Fertilizer
Fertilizing Tillandsia Bulbosa is not necessary, especially when you provide it with all the appropriate growing conditions. However, if you feel that your plant needs a boost in growth, consider using fertilizers specially formulated for tillandsia varieties.
You can also use an all-purpose fertilizer whose nutrient ratios are 20/20/20 or 10/10/10. Check the package of the fertilizer for the recommended strength. Reduce this recommended strength by a quarter so that you don’t end up burning your Bulbosa air plant. Soak your plant in the fertilizer solution that you would have prepared.
We recommend that you fertilize your plant once or twice a month. Frequent fertilizing will chemically burn and possibly kill your plant.
– Repotting
You have a wide range of variety when it comes to displaying your Tillandsia Bulbosa. Glass containers, pieces of wood, or decorative rocks are all options you can explore. Whether it’s in your house or office, knowing the displaying options with Tillandsia Bulbosa will help you add the right touch to your room.
Terrariums
Glass containers, whether sealed or open, are a great way to showcase the beauty of your plant. Such containers are known as terrariums. You can suspend ten terrariums in the air if you do not wish to place them on tables or shelf tops. You can also use aeriums to give a minimalistic and dazzling aesthetic to your rooms.
You can mount your Tillandsia Bulbosa on rocks, bark, or driftwood to give your room a vintage outlook. You can even make your potted Tillandsia Bulbosa using bark or rocks as the growth media. Affixing the Bulbosa air plants on tables or to the walls is also another possibility.
Propagation
Tillandsia Bulbosa is one of the easiest plants to propagate, especially through offsets that develop at the base of the plant. Bulbosa propagation through seeds is feasible, but we don’t recommend using this route as it is too slow. Seeds may take months or even years before they germinate, which can be frustrating, particularly for first-time plant caregivers.
– Pups
Propagating air plants through pups is better done either during the mornings or early afternoons . Begin by removing the Tillandsia Bulbosa from where it is mounted using pliers or wire cuttings. Don’t forget to disinfect your equipment before use. Fill a bowl with water and place your Bulbosa air plant there for about three hours to hydrate it.
After removing your Tillandsia Bulbosa from the water, put it on a clean flat surface disinfected with 70 percent alcohol. To reveal the pups at the base of the plant, gently spread the leaves of your bulbosa plant.
Find where the plants are connected and gently pull off the pups from the mother plant at the base. You can put the offsets into a bowl of water during the separation procedure.
Remount the mother plant to its original growing board. You can mount the pups to the same board if there is enough space to create a continuous airflow between the plants. If the space is not enough, simply mount the pups on their growing boards. Mist the pups once each day, in the morning or early afternoons.
Problems
Caring for your Tillandsia Bulbosa the best way possible assists you to avoid having to deal with some problems that might attack the plant. This section is dedicated to discussing some of the possible problems to look out for as you parent your Bulbosa air plant.
– Leaf Rot and Fungal Issues
Fungal concerns are usually identified through dark spots that appear at the base of your plant. If not dealt with, these spots will spread over time. The first attempt you can make to save your plant is to remove the affected parts so that the infection does not spread to the rest of the plant.
To avoid leaf rot and fungal concerns, stick to recommended watering schedules. Do not leave the leaves of your plant wet for any reason. To treat the fungal infection, use cinnamon, which is a natural fungicide.
– Browning and Curling Leaves
If the leaves of your plant begin to curl and turn brownish, it’s a sign that you are underwatering it. If you touch parts of the air plant, they might be softer than usual. It is easy to assume that the Tillandsia Bulbosa does not need much water since it is an air plant. Extreme cases of underwatering can cause dry rot, which can completely destroy your precious plant.
The softness of your plant is due to a lack of enough light. You have more reason to make this diagnosis if the leaves of your plant are also fading in color. Allow your plant to receive bright, indirect light for at least four to six hours each day.
– Pests
The fact that Tillandsia Bulbosa is not grown in soil rules out many pests that usually affect houseplants. However, some pests still affect this air plant, even in the absence of soil. Mealybugs and scale are the major pests that you should always check your plant for.
To identify an attack by mealybugs, check your plant for a waxy cotton-like substance on the surface of your plant’s leaves. Scales appear like tiny, shell-like bumps, usually at the bottom of the leaves. Both pests are sucking pests that damage the leaves of Tillandsia Bulbosa just to get to the sap that is inside.
Quarantine Solution
Once your plant is infected by the scale pests and/or mealybugs, quarantine it from the other plants and commence treatment. Neem oil is a good pesticide that will destroy pests at all stages of their development.
If you don’t have it, you can spray your Bulbosa air plant with alcohol at a concentration of 70 percent. You can also buy insecticidal soap or prepare one at home.
Facts About the Tillandsia Bulbosa
– Leaves
The leaves of Tillandsia Bulbosa appear like tendrils, and they can be weaved together so that they appear like some sea creature. The twisted leaves of Tillandsia Bulbosa rarely exceed four inches in length.
This manageable height makes the plant a great candidate for a variety of settings, including growing it as a houseplant. Since they require good airflow, Bulbosa air plants can be grown in well-ventilated vivariums and open terrariums.
– Flowers
Tillandsia Bulbosa produces flowers that are red, deep violet, or plum in color. The dark green leaves of this plant turn to a gorgeous violet color when the plant is ready to bloom. After blooming, the plant produces offsets, which are also known as pups.
– Habitat
Tillandsia Bulbosa is native to Mexico, as well as Central and South America.
FAQ
Does Tillandsia Bulbosa purify the air?
Tillandsia Bulbosa helps purify the air by absorbing pollutants and releasing oxygen. Its unique ability makes it an effective natural air purifier.
What do I do when my Tillandsia Bulbosa dries out?
When Tillandsia Bulbosa dries out, soak it in water for 1-2 hours to rehydrate. Avoid leaving it submerged for too long to prevent rotting.
Should I mist Tillandsia Bulbosa with warm or cold water?
Mist Tillandsia Bulbosa with room temperature water. Extreme temperatures can shock the plant, so it’s best to use water at a comfortable temperature.
Conclusion
Now you have all the information you need to care for Tillandsia Bulbosa 一 All at one stop! It’s time to start your fascinating journey in parenting your air plant using the tips that you learned in this article. Just a moment before you go, let’s recap the points that you should always keep at the back of your mind:
- Expose Tillandsia Bulbosa to bright, indirect light for at least four to six hours every day.
- Mist once or twice a week so that the trichomes will capture the moisture that your plant needs.
- You can add fertilizer to your plant once or twice a month in highly diluted concentrations.
- Although Tillandsia Bulbosa can be propagated through seeds, we recommend using pups because the results are quicker.
- Always check your air plants for scale and mealybugs.
Now, prepare for everything you need to create the environmental conditions conducive to your plant. Once you have your plant, you can still refer to this guide for direction. Or do you have the Bulbosa air plant already? If yes, then there is no time to waste 一 It’s time to get started!
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