Tillandsia (genus, airplants, "Chiranjia")

Japanese name: チランジア
Scientific name: Tillandsia

[Overview]
Evergreen perennials, many of which grow attached to tree trunks, rocks and the like, though some grow in the ground.
There are stemless and stemmed species.
The roots are not well developed and are absent in some; water and nutrients are absorbed through the leaves and other parts.
The leaves usually grow from the base in a rosette, but some have them in clusters or in two rows.
The leaves are linear, lanceolate, tongue-shaped, strap-shaped and so on, and vary widely, being curved or twisted; many have silvery white to brownish scales.
The leaf margins have no spines, and the leaf sheaths are large and spoon-shaped; in many, these overlap to form pseudobulbs.
Spike or raceme inflorescences are produced, and the three-petaled flowers emerge from between the bracts.
In many, the bracts are colored red, pink or the like.
The fruit is a cylindrical capsule.

[Cultivation]
Propagate by division.
Plant in sphagnum moss alone, or attach it to a tree fern board or similar.
Give plenty of sun from autumn to spring, and move it to bright shade in summer.
From spring to autumn, water at the base of the plant when the planting medium has dried; if attached to a tree fern board, moisten the whole plant with a spray every day.
Keep it on the dry side in winter.
It prefers high humidity in the air, so place it where air from heating and cooling does not blow on it, and give water with a spray.
For potted plants, apply slow-release fertilizer once every two months during the growing season from spring to autumn, or give diluted liquid fertilizer once a month.
Pests and diseases include aphids, thrips, scale insects and spider mites.

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