My mom went to Lowe's to buy succulents for a fairy garden and came home with two of these guys. Im a zoologist and don't know much about plants but I thought they were odd looking succulents. A reverse image search id'd this fella as a Tillandsia but couldn't id species. A few questions to make sure they survive
-
Can they stay in this pot or do they need a new pot? They were each glued in their pot with water in the bottom. We freed them and drained the water.
-
Indirect light from a nearby window is okay?
-
We're in the South East US so soak once a week or twice a week?
I know to make sure they dry out completely after soaking and add diluted fertilizer once a month. Anything else needed to keep these guys healthy?
Thanks so much for the help!
by Effective-Fruit-7021
2 Comments
Sounds like you have the care of your new plant down. I am a newbie to air plants myself, so I’ll leave the identification to one wiser than me.
It looks like *caput-medusae*. Were they immersed in water when you got them or were they suspended above the water? Tillandsia can be very sensitive to still water being trapped in their bases without proper airflow and will rot. Monitor them over the next few day. See if the bases start to feel soft and squishy and smell off. Pull gently on the middle leaves to see if they’re firmly attached. If that’s all fine, you’re good to maintain them per your post