Is LED cultivation now the standard? The "Brazilian red flower variety" is also doing great!
Tillandsia, which grows as an epiphyte on trees and rocky areas, is one plant that grows remarkably well when cultivated indoors in a stable environment using LEDs.
Tillandsia Garden, a tillandsia specialty store in Asakusabashi, Tokyo, has installed LEDs on all of the store's racks for management purposes.
"A group of plants from Brazil called 'Brazilian red flower species' that produce large red inflorescences require relatively high humidity and temperature, so they do well when grown indoors. At our house, we put a net over a metal rack, then lay coconut shell chips on top of that and keep them lined up," says store owner Hashimoto Kosei.
When I think of Tillandsia, I imagine them being grown by attaching them to driftwood or cork, but seeing them lined up directly on coconut shells is a fresh sight. "At home, they do better this way than when attached to the shells, and they take root easily.
They're lined up pretty tightly, which is surprisingly good. The moisture from each other seems to help maintain just the right amount of humidity. It's no good if they're so tightly packed that they can't get any light, but they seem to like having them just the right amount together."
However, types of tillandsia that like dry conditions, such as ionantha, will not do well if they remain wet, so pumice, which dries easily, was used instead of coconut shells.Ventilation does not need to be very strong; a light air movement using a circulator or ceiling fan is sufficient.
Tillandsia suitable for LED cultivation
Tillandsia seakenii
Tillandsia thiekenii
Tillandsia, with its attractive fleshy leaves, is found in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In its native habitat, there are individual differences between drooping and upward-growing plants, so pay attention to the direction in which it grows best.
Tillandsia grazierae
Tillandsia grazielae
It grows in the highlands near Rio de Janeiro. It is sensitive to heat and will not tolerate temperatures above 30°C, so the key to growing it is to lower the temperature at night. I've been growing it for 15 years, but it has only bloomed twice.
Tillandsia brachyphylla
Tillandsia brachyphylla
Found in Sugarloaf, a famous tourist spot in Rio de Janeiro. A popular species characterized by its thick leaves. The Brazilian red flower variety has the reddest inflorescence just before the petals open, as shown in the photo.
Tillandsia reclinata
Tillandsia reclinata
A unique, small species with drooping stems. Though said to be delicate, it is actually relatively hardy if you select a plant in good condition. Found near Petropolis, Brazil.
