I always talk about how air plants are grown WITHOUT soil…but as with all things there are exceptions to the rules, and Tillandsia Secunda is one of them! This dramatic and large air plant belongs to a group of tank-type saxicolous air plants. Let’s break that down. “tank-type” refers to the fact that this species grows in such a manner that water gets trapped in the leaf rosette (a mature plant can hold up to 5 gallons of water)!  Saxicolous means growing on or living among rocks…yeah, you read that right a terrestrial air plant!

While you can grow  T. secunda like most other air plants, this plant prefers be potted in a well-draining bromeliad mix (I recommend equal parts coco-coir, pumice, horticultural charcoal, and orchid bark). In fact, this plant will grow faster and larger, reaching a size of 2 feet high by 2 feet wide when potted.

Tillandsia Secunda loves water so I recommend watering at least 2 times a week. Since this is a tank plant you should leave water in the rosette and change it frequently. To achieve this, I recommend watering directly into the center of the plant with at least twice the amount of water than the plant holds. This will ensure that you flush the older water out of the leaves so that it does not stagnate and cause rot. To help reduce the chances of rot recommend an environment with plenty of air circulation.

T. secunda does well indoors, but likes bright, indirect light. Direct sunlight is too much for this plant and cause the plant to develop burn marks.  

Fertilizing is not necessary; however, it encourages faster growth, off-setting, blushing, and blooming! To fertilize, we recommend misting your specimen with a foliar fertilizer such as our Foliar Feed at least once a month.

Your specimen will be about 9-12 inches in height and width