Bocabroms · CC BY-SA 3.0
About
A compact, air plant notable for its dense, silvery-green foliage and striking purple flowers. *Tillandsia ionantha* is a popular choice for collectors due to its manageable size and vibrant blooms.
Field notes
Morphology
The plant is acaulescent or shortly caulescent, reaching 6–8 cm high. Leaves are 4–9 cm long, forming narrow triangular sheets with dense lepidota indument. The inflorescence is compound, featuring 1–3 flowers, and the sepals are 2 cm long, with purple petals. Capsules measure 2.5–4.5 cm long.
Distribution & habitat
Native to Central America and Mexico. It is also reported naturalized in Broward County, Florida, United States.
History & etymology
The species was described by Jules Emile Planchon and published in Flore des Serres et des Jardins de l'Europe in 1855. The epithet *ionantha* is Latin for "with violet flowers."
Habitat
- Altitude
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- Altitude Class
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Cultivation
- Difficulty
- intermediate
Crossed Tillandsia ionantha with another species?
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