Tillandsia balbisiana
The northern needleleaf is a widespread epiphytic air plant from Florida, the West Indies, Mexico, Central America, Colombia and Venezuela. Its narrow, twisting, grey-green leaves rise from a swollen, bulb-like base, and it bears a branched red spike. It is a tough, bright-light, fast-drying tillandsia for mounts rather than terrariums.
Where it grows wild
An epiphyte on trees and shrubs in lowland and foothill habitats, from hammocks, cypress swamps and mangroves in south Florida to dry and seasonal forest in Mexico, Central America and northern South America. It usually grows on branches with good light and air movement.
GBIF records run from near sea level to about 1350 m, with occasional records higher; most Florida and Caribbean populations are below 100 m.
🔒 Growing it like that
The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:
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Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, used under its CC BY-SA 3.0 licence, unmodified.