Tillandsia chaetophylla

A Mexican air plant with fine, bristle-like leaves (the name means 'bristle-leaved') that grows as an epiphyte in cloud forest and pine–oak forest, mostly at about 2,000–2,300 m. It wants cool nights, bright filtered light, frequent misting and fast drying. Specimen labels are the main source of habitat information.

At home, aim for

Day Cool-growingTargets in Plantistry

Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry

Humidity Ordinary room humidityBand in Plantistry

Light Bright, filtered lightDLI and PPFD in Plantistry

Expects a seasonal restGrows on trees (epiphyte)

Where it grows wild

Herbarium labels place it in montane cloud forest (bosque mesófilo de montaña), including cloud forest mixed with oak and pine, and in humid forest. Like other fine-leaved tillandsias it grows on branches.

GBIF specimens with elevations range from about 890 m in Puebla to about 2,300 m, with most at 2,050–2,300 m in Oaxaca, México state and Veracruz.

Mexico CentralMexico SouthwestMexico GulfMexico Southeast

🔒 Growing it like that

The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:

✓ Day and night temperature targets, and the limits it tolerates

✓ Humidity band, and how to hold it

✓ Light as DLI and PPFD for a grow light

✓ Wet and dry seasons, and whether to rest it

✓ Substrate and airflow

✓ A step-by-step setup to grow it like the wild

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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.