Tillandsia Care
This care sheet is downloadable for easy printing!  Click to download.





Processing
Before introducing a Tillandsia from any source into your vivarium we suggest you submerge it in dechlorinated water for a few hours. (No more than 12) This will safely remove microfauna from the plant while rehydrating it from the dry period of shipping. Please note – we don’t chemically treat our plants so heavy processing should not be needed if bought directly from us, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.  Plus the plant will appreciate a nice soak after the long period of dryness during shipping.

Misting & Air Circulation
Most types of Tillandsias we carry do best if misted about every to every other day in warm vivarium conditions with good circulation.  Air circulation helps these plants dry off a bit between misting. Ideally at least mild to moderate air circulation is best for most types. Some species we carry aren't really prone to rotting at all (Bulbosa, Brachycaulos, Aeranthos) however most do best when left to dry a bit between misting.  Sensitive species (Tectorum, for instance) need moderate airflow to stay healthy.  Mount all sensitive species towards a screen top, if possible.  If a Tillandsia doesn’t visibly begin to dry within 5-6 hours of misting - give it a dry break. If the humidity level in your vivarium is above 70%, mounting the plant towards a vent or lid is key to it's survival.  Misting can often be done as little as once per week in highly humid conditions. Purified water is best since minerals & other things in tap water can clog a Tillandsia's pores & can slowly kill the plant.

Mounting
Mounting a Tillandsia where it'll stay submerged or even partially submerged will kill it quickly. You want to mount the plant off of substrate on a background where there's at least some air movement. Mounting air plants isn't an exact science. We personally use hot glue. Just blob some on to where you want the plant to stick and let it cool for a couple seconds.  Then pop the Tillandsia's root section onto the glue. This will hold the plant in place and will fight moisture from coming up through whatever it's mounted on. Other ways to mount it are using toothpicks pushed into backgrounds, using florist wire, and using fishing line. They all work but be careful using wire. Reptiles and amphibians can be very sensitive to certain metals when they start to break down, and also be aware of potential risks of the herp being tangled or getting caught on a line. Don't surround a Tillandsia with moss. It won't allow the plant to dry off quickly enough and it will rot rot!

Lighting
Like most plants - 12 hours on - 12 hours off. We suggest you using 5500-6500K full spectrum light or close to it. Mounting an air plant too close to a light source will cause its tips to burn. If that happens, add some distance from the light.

Removing Pups
Pups can be removed when it's 1/3-1/2 the size of the mother. Grip the mother plant by the base and twist the pup gently downward. It should pop off with no issues - if it doesn't want to come off - give it a slice as close to it's mother's base as possible.



If you have any questions at all we're always happy to help!  Email us at meikmail@gmail.com



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