Latest news with #Tillandsia
The Citizen
08-08-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Tantalising Tillandsia!
Air plants are fascinating. They don't need soil to grow in, they 'feed' through their leaves and their roots are simply there to anchor the plant. The largest group are probably Tillandsia; members of the bromeliad family as can be seen from their striking spiky leaves. They are perfectly suited as indoor plants because they need little water, and do best with bright, indirect light. That's because they originate in tropical forest canopies, lodged in the forks for trees where they receive dappled sunlight. What's to like? They are infinitely adaptable and can be displayed in many creative and unusual ways. Attach them to an interesting piece of driftwood, large seashell or any natural form that catches your eye. No soil needed. Use them to decorate a mirror, picture frame, bookcase, or window. Drop them into any type of container, whether glass, ceramic or rustic. They will even be at home in a terrarium. They will thrive in the humidity of a bathroom where they can be suspended from the shower head as well as in a warm bedroom, living room or kitchen. Place them in a plant holder suspended from the ceiling. Caring for your Tillandsia Light Their most important requirement is bright, indirect light near a window. If the leaves don't get enough light they won't be able to absorb nutrients from the air and water and they will gradually die. They can take morning sun for up to three hours but more than that will scorch their leaves. Tillandsias with grey leaves need higher light levels and while green leaved species prefer filtered or bright indirect light. Fresh air Because tillandsia obtain their nutrients for air and water, they need a good air flow around them, especially varieties with fine leaves. However, keep them out of draughts, especially in winter. Water When grown indoors tillandsia need regular watering. The easiest way to water them is to put them in a bowl of water for 10 to 15 minutes, shake off the water and put them back in place. This can be done once a week in summer, less in winter. They can also be misted but check that they are getting enough moisture. Don't let moisture stay on the leaves, or where they join the stem as the plants will rot. Nutrients Give you plant a nutrient boost every now and then in summer using a liquid fertiliser at a quarter of the recommended strength. This can be added to the water when they are soaked or misted onto the leaves. Flowering Like other bromeliads, tillandsia flower when they are fully grown, as long as they receive enough light. After flowering the mother plant produces offsets, called 'pups' and then dies. In this way tillandsia's reproduce and form clumps over time. Remove dead plants from the clumps as they can harbour pests. For more information visit LVG Plants. Article and images supplied by Alice Coetzee. For more on gardening visit Get It Magazine.
Straits Times
01-08-2025
- Lifestyle
- Straits Times
Plant Parenting: How to grow orchids
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Depending on their growth habits, which can be upright or pendulous, these plants can be cultivated differently. SINGAPORE – Orchids, such as Singapore's national flower Vanda Miss Joaquim, are popular garden plants that are admired for their colourful and flamboyant blossoms. They are also epiphytic plants that grow on another living plant for support. The most common epiphytes here grow on trees in streets, parks and gardens. They are not parasites, as they do not depend on the host plant for nutrition. There are two types of epiphytes, the first being holo-epiphytes. These grow entirely off the ground and include not only orchids, but also air plants from the genus Tillandsia. Holo-epiphytes' roots need to dry out between rainfall. They are not accustomed to constant moisture and should never be planted in soil. Hemi-epiphytes, the second type, grow in the ground at one stage or another of their life cycles. Many aroids, which are popular houseplants, are hemi-epiphytes. They often grow along the soil of the forest floor until they find a tree. There, they produce aerial roots that attach to the tree's bark, and subsequently grow upwards towards light. Many of the orchids sold in local nurseries are epiphytic species and hybrids. Common ones come from the genera Dendrobium, Cattleya, Oncidium, Phalaenopsis and Vanda. Depending on their growth habits, which can be upright or pendulous, these plants can be cultivated differently. Orchid growing in containers A sympodial orchid has a horizontal growing stem at the base. Pseudobulbs (false stems) emerge from this stem and store water for the plant during harsh weather. PHOTO: NATIONAL PARKS BOARD Orchids with vertical stems are called monopodial orchids. Those with a horizontal growth habit, with upright pseudostems growing at intervals, are called sympodial orchids. In local gardens, epiphytic orchids are mostly grown in containers using charcoal chips or chunks. Charcoal is an affordable, durable and lightweight growing medium suited for tropical climates. A monopodial orchid has a single stem that grows upwards. Such orchids do not have pseudobulbs. PHOTO: NATIONAL PARKS BOARD In the past, broken bricks were used as a growing medium, as their weight prevented pots from toppling over. Pine bark chips are often used in temperate climates where the material is plentiful, but can be expensive here as they need to be imported. When using charcoal chips, their size needs to be customised according to the root system. Smaller chips are better for smaller plants with fine roots to anchor themselves for stability. But there must also be air pockets within the growing medium for drainage, so the roots can dry out quickly between each watering. A properly aerated root zone is crucial for epiphytic orchids. Charcoal is a common growing medium for orchids in Singapore. PHOTO: NATIONAL PARKS BOARD When growing orchids in charcoal in harsh environments, such as windy high-rise homes and exposed outdoor gardens, more frequent watering is required. Some gardeners add coconut husk chips to retain water in the root zone. Imported orchids often arrive on a buyer's doorstep in a pot of densely packed sphagnum moss. This material retains moisture very well. In humid Singapore, however, the moss can quickly become waterlogged from wet weather. This can cause root rot and disease, killing the plant. As such, it is essential to remove sphagnum moss from an orchid's root zone and repot it in charcoal chips. In the past, orchids were grown in heavy terracotta pots with holes in the sides to aerate the root zone and improve drainage. Now , gardeners can grow these flowers in lightweight plastic pots in a similar design. Hanging containers, such as wooden baskets or those with a mesh-like plastic coated material, will also serve this purpose. Plastic pots without holes, designed for conventional terrestrial plants, may not aerate the root zone well enough. Mounting orchids Some orchids are mounted on a flat surface, such as on a slab of fern bark or wood. The root systems of orchids grown this way are spread flat on the material, and plants are held in place by tying them to the material. This method of cultivation allows the roots to dry out due to the porous structure of fern bark, which is made up of a network of numerous thick fibres with air pockets in between. Plants grown on tree bark also have their roots exposed directly to the air. Epiphytic orchids can be mounted on a slab of fern bark, but these will dry out faster and need to be watered more often. PHOTO: NATIONAL PARKS BOARD Growing epiphytic orchids this way is an effective and practical way to display those with a pendulous growth habit, characterised via their long, hanging stems. One such orchid is the native Pigeon Orchid (Dendrobium crumenatum), which can be found on trees here. Mounting orchids also circumvents the issue of water accumulating within the crown of some orchid types, such as Moth Orchids (Phalaenopsis). Fertilising orchids The porous nature of potted media and mounting of epiphytic orchids make conventional fertilisation quite challenging. Orchid growers usually provide the necessary nutrients for their plants via water-soluble fertiliser. Fertilisers specially formulated for orchids are also available in salt form, which need to be dissolved in water. This means plants can be fed and watered simultaneously. Nutrients are taken up by plants via their roots and leaves, in a process known as foliar feeding. Slow-release fertiliser pellets can be kept near, but not in direct contact with, an orchid's roots. PHOTO: NATIONAL PARKS BOARD Slow-release coated fertiliser pellets can also be used. First, put these pellets in a small bag fashioned from a piece of cloth or plastic netting. Next, tie the bag up and hang it near the orchid's roots. To prevent fertiliser burn, ensure they do not come into contact with the roots. Whenever the plant is watered, the pellets will release a small amount of nutrients.
