Air Plant of the Month Club: Tillandsia Tectorum Ecuador

​Adorably fuzzy, the snowball like Tillandsia Tectorum Ecuador is covered in an abundance of trichomes which help it absorb humidity from the environment, making it one of the more drought tolerant air plants as well as one of the few that can tolerate bright direct light. They are Native to the high mountains in the Andes in Ecuador and the coastal deserts in Peru. The name “Tectorum” comes from the Latin word for rooftop because Tectorum Ecuador is grown on roof tops in the Andes. It has tiny purple blossoms that grow from a reddish purple stem. Tillandsia Tectorum Ecuador can be misted once to twice a week depending on your environment. To keep Tillandsia Tectorum Ecuador healthy, use a spray based air plant fertilizer once a month instead of watering to supplement the nutrients your Tillandsia Paucifolia would absorb in it’s natural environment. Tillandsia Tectorum Ecuador can be placed it in a terrarium on top of any filler that doesn’t maintain moisture such as sand, rocks, or bark, or displayed in a himmeli or other air plant hanger .

Light

Tillandsia Tectorum Ecuador needs bright filtered light but can handle bright direct light. Place it near a bright window. You can also use a grow light to supplement but be conscious of light placement and keep light indirect. We recommend these if you need a grow light bulb.

Water

Spray Tillandsia Tectorum Ecuador thoroughly once or twice a week depending on the natural humidity of it’s environment. It is one of the most drought tolerant of air plants and doesn’t need to be soaked or over saturated.

​Fertilizing

Use a spray fertilizer once a month in place of it’s regular watering to supplement the nutrients it would be gathering from the air in its natural environment

​Long Term Care

Over time Tillandsia Tectorum Ecuador will continue to grow and reproduce pups that will branch off of the base of the mother plant. They can be left there to form a clump, or can be divided from the mother plant after they have reached at least half the size of the mother plant.

​Pet info

Tillandsia are not toxic to animals.