Spotlight on Tillandsia butzii

Tillandsia butzii is an epiphytic bromeliad native to the mountains of southern Mexico, Panama and Costa Rica. Its range is all the more restricted as the species grows only at altitudes of between approximately 1,300 and 2,300 metres, in forests, where it clings to trees to grow.

It forms a bulbous rosette that produces long, slender, twisted leaves, speckled with brown and red, becoming uniformly green towards the apex. The scales are fewer in number than in many other Tillandsia species, and for good reason: Tillandsia butzii enjoys considerable shade beneath the dense forest canopy; it therefore does not require a covering of trichomes for protection against UV radiation or for water retention. The species was described in 1935 by the German botanist Carl Christian Mez. Its specific epithet, butzii, was given in honour of the American botanist Georges C. Butz.

Cultivation of Tillandsia butzii

It is prized for its unusual shapes, the beauty of its variegated foliage and its red inflorescences. The plant becomes increasingly stunning as it flowers, with new bulbs joining the existing ones to form a veritable bush.

It must be kept in the shade and is best grown horizontally, or even upside down, so that water drains easily from the central parts.