Tillandsia ionantha
The spectacular sky plant, Tillandsia ionantha, is an unusual, colorful air plant that grows on the trunks of trees in its natural habitat and in the home is like a colorful piece of living art.
When it matures, it puts out vibrant growth in colors like purple, red, and yellow.
In addition to being a stunning addition to your indoor decor, the sky plant is spectacularly easy to grow. Give it the conditions it enjoys and you can pretty much set and forget about it.
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Plop it on a shelf, dip it in some water now and then, and you can basically sit back and enjoy the show.
Well, it’s not quite that easy, but almost! Here’s what I’ll cover:
What You’ll Learn
Sky plants are members of the bromeliad family (Bromeliaceae), which also includes pineapples and Spanish moss.
They are epiphytes, which means that they grow anchored onto other flora, like trees. They are not parasites that draws nutrients from the tree or shrub, like, say, mistletoe.
They just use the tree or shrub as a support so they can reach all the moisture and nutritious goodies that fall down from the canopy. They are also lithophytes, which means they can grow attached to rocks.
The long, narrow leaves are covered in fuzzy growths known as trichomes that catch falling debris and moisture from the air.
It has a caulescent growth habit, which means that there is a prominent stem supporting the foliage.
Quick Look
Common name(s): Sky plant
Plant type: Epiphytic succulent
Hardiness (USDA Zone): 9-11 (outdoors)
Native to: Mexico, Central and South America
Bloom time / season: Spring or summer
Exposure: Bright, indirect sunlight
Water Needs: Low
Tolerance: Drought
Time to maturity: 3-5 years
Mature size: 4 inches wide x 12 inches high
Best uses: Houseplant, mounting
Taxonomy
Order: Poales
Family: Bromeliaceae
Genus: Tillandsia
Species: Ionantha
Sky plants can grow up to a foot tall given the right growing environment, but most stay smaller when grown indoors.
These air plants start out silver and pale green, but as they mature, the leaves turn darker green. Once they get ready to bloom, the foliage can take on pink, red, and even orange hues.
T. ionantha is monocarpic, which means it blooms once and then dies, which is common among bromeliads.
The flowers are vibrant blue and purple with yellow stamens. After flowering, the sky plant will send out pups before dying.
This species is xeric, meaning it comes from dry climates and is adapted to periods of drought. You can learn more about what this means in our guide to growing air plants.
T. ionantha is indigenous to Mexico, South, and Central America, and has also naturalized in Florida.
How to Grow
Remember how we mentioned T. ionantha is an epiphyte? That’s important because it informs us about how we should care for sky plants in our homes.
If you’re in Zones 9 to 11, you can choose to cultivate your tillandsia outdoors.
Support
Sky plants don’t do well in soil because that’s not how they’ve adapted to grow in their native environment.
They use their roots to anchor onto the tree or maybe in some moss growing on the tree, but not in dirt.
So you want to give them the same kind of conditions by placing them on an object instead of potted up in soil.
These days, you’ll see supports made specifically for Tillandsia species. These might be hanging glass balls or wood tripod-like objects.
Something cute like a little metal stand or small piece of wood or even a shell would be ideal.
Or, better yet, mount them on a bit of moss on a wood board or piece of bark. That way, it gives them the space to produce lots of pups!
Light
When you’re thinking about where to place your sky plant, try to picture the type of light that it would receive growing under the canopy of a large tree.
It would likely receive a few hours of sun in the early morning or late evening and some dappled sunlight throughout the day. Try to recreate that by giving it bright, indirect light indoors.
A little morning sun is fine, but don’t expose it to afternoon sun, which is far too hot and intense. Too much light might cause the leaves to turn brown or it can even kill your tillandsia.
Water
Provide water by placing the sky plant in a bowl or plugged sink for about 30 minutes.
Remove it from the water and place it upside down on a towel. You want it to drain out so there isn’t any water collecting in the base.
Spritz the foliage once or twice a week to give it a bit of moisture and soak it once a month.
It can be a little hard to tell when you need to water but if you end up over- or underwatering, read our guide about how to revive a neglected air plant.
Temperature and Humidity
Keep your tillandsia in a spot with good air circulation and where temperatures are consistently between 50 and 85°F.
Sky plants like a little bit of humidity but a once or twice weekly spritz is enough to provide this.
Fertilizing
Strictly speaking, you don’t need to fertilize your sky plants, but they will grow better and be more likely to bloom and put out offsets if you give them some food.
Choose a Tillandsia-specific food that is formulated with the right balance of nutrients to encourage healthy growth in epiphytes.
Tilly Boost is a favorite of hobbyists and experts alike.
You can find it available from the CTS Air Plants Store via Amazon in four-ounce packs. Follow the instructions on the packet for application timing and frequency.
Cultivars to Select
Most T. ionantha cultivars are about the same size and shape as the species, and there are a number to choose from.
Here are a selection of my favorites:
Druid
Instead of a red pigmentation on the mature leaves, ‘Druid’ takes on an orange-yellow hue, instead.
The flower is pristine white with yellow stamens.
This cultivar was first identified by botanist Drew Schultz in Vera Cruz, Mexico, in 1971.
When it turned out to bloom in white and yellow rather than purple, he knew he had something special on his hands and named it ‘Druid’ after his own name.
Fuego
If you need to brush up on your Spanish, “fuego” means fire, and burn this sky plant does.
The upper leaves can be almost entirely red, and especially when contrasted with the purple blossom, it looks like you’re staring into the dancing flames of a fire.
If you like the red of sky plants but want more, more, more, ‘Fuego’ is the most blazing option of them all.
Guatemala
Can we all take a trip to ‘Guatemala?’ This adorable little cultivar is like having a Guatemalan sunset right in your house.
It has green, pink, and red leaves with striking purple and yellow flowers.
This cultivar needs a good amount of light to produce this incredible color, so be sure to provide plenty of bright, indirect light for several hours per day.
Rubra
‘Rubra’ aka T. ionantha var. rubra, sometimes just called red sky plant, grows a bit taller and has fewer trichomes than the species.
There are actually two forms of this type, the soft one and the hard one.
The soft tends to have a wider growth habit thanks to its pliable leaves, while the hard form is more upright as it has stiff leaves.
Vanhyningii
T. ionantha var. vanhyningii has the thickest leaves of any sky plant. When in bloom, that chunky, spiraling foliage that grows in a star shape turns pale red.
It was first described in 1957 by botanist Mulford B. Foster, who was well-known for identifying and collecting various Tillandsia species.
Part of what sets it apart, beyond the thick leaves, is its cascading growth habit, with pups growing all along the curving stem.
Zebrina
Originally called T. ionantha var. zebrina, this one was first described in 1975 when Bert Foster discovered the unusual specimen in Guatemala.
It appears to have stripes on the foliage thanks to bands of trichomes.
The upper leaves turn blush red when the blooming period starts, followed by purple and yellow flowers.
There’s a lot of debate among botanists as to whether to classify this sky plant as its own species or reclassify it as a form rather than a variety.
Wherever it ends up, it’s an extremely interesting option.
Propagation
Most Tillandsia species put out what are called offsets or pups that can be gently separated from the parent and grown independently.
These form after the plant has flowered, before the parent dies.
Wait until the new growth is about half the size of the parent and then gently tease them apart. That’s it!
Managing Pests and Disease
Don’t lose sleep about pests and diseases. They’re not super common in air plants.
Pests
Most Tillandsia species are fairly unbothered by pests. That said, if they do come around, these small specimens can quickly go from fine to very much not fine in a hurry.
The best way to prevent an untimely sky plant death is to inspect them daily or every few days.
You’re looking for mealybugs, scale, or the webbing that can indicate the presence of spider mites.
Disease
Too much or too little water can both cause rot, which can kill your sky plant. Symptoms include part of all of the base turning brown or black and mushy.
Sometimes this might only be visible between the leaves, and if you peel off one of the leaves you may even notice a bad smell.
Rot is one of those problems that usually can’t be stopped once it has started, and the damage is typically worse than what you can see.
You can try removing any rotting leaves, but be prepared to say goodbye to your sky plant.
You can avoid rot by taking care not to overwater and ensuring the specimen dries out thoroughly after watering.
Reach for the Sky…. Plant
Air plants are so cool. You can hang them from the ceiling in groups, attach them to decorative objects, or just set them on a windowsill, shelf, or table.
Anywhere you can put a piece of decorative art, you can display a sky plant.
The long, narrow leaves and bright flowers on T. ionantha are extra special. And for an easy-to-grow houseplant? It’s unmatched.
Are you growing sky plants? How do you display yours? Let us know in the comments section below and feel free to share a picture!
And for more information about growing air plants and other epiphytes, add these guides to your reading list next:
