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Species library › Tillandsia › Tillandsia polyantha
Other Partly documented

Tillandsia polyantha

Tillandsia polyantha is an Ecuadorian endemic epiphyte of cool, humid upper-montane forest and high shrubland at roughly 2,200–3,200 m, mostly on the slopes around Quito (Pichincha). It is IUCN-listed as threatened by habitat loss and rarely seen in cultivation. Grow it like other cool cloud-forest tillandsias: cold nights, moist moving air and bright filtered light.

At home, aim for
Day Cool-growingTargets in Plantistry
Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry
Humidity Humid airBand in Plantistry
Light Bright, filtered lightDLI and PPFD in Plantistry
No rest periodGrows on trees (epiphyte)

Where it grows wild

The type was collected in 'temperate forest' near Nieblí, Pichincha, in 1879. Later records describe upper montane evergreen forest (bosque siempreverde montano alto) on the western side of the Ilinizas, and the Pululahua reserve. Wikipedia gives subtropical or tropical moist montane forest and high-altitude shrubland.

Ecuadorian GBIF records run from about 2,200 to 3,200 m, with most above 2,800 m. One outlier label from the upper Río Chiriquí Viejo in Panama (1,600 m) is doubtful.

Ecuador

🔒 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.