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Species library › Tillandsia › Tillandsia subulifera
Other Partly documented

Tillandsia subulifera

A lowland epiphytic Tillandsia described by Mez in 1919, found from Nicaragua and Costa Rica through Panama to Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad and Ecuador. Almost all records are below 1000 m, mostly around 100–300 m, in wet and semi-deciduous forest, secondary growth and trees in pasture. Grow it warm, bright and humid with a good drying rhythm; published habitat detail is thin, so these targets rest mainly on where it has been collected.

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

Where it grows wild

Specimens come from primary forest on ridges near the coast, forest between the road and the sea, remnant patches and secondary forest, pasture trees, an island of broadleaf forest in open savanna, dense forest in Antioquia and virgin semi-deciduous forest in Venezuela. It grows on trunks and branches, where it dries quickly after rain.

GBIF records with elevations run from near sea level to about 980 m, median about 130 m.

Nicaragua (Río San Juan, Caribbean north)Costa Rica (Osa Peninsula, Golfito, Térraba valley, northern Alajuela)PanamaColombia (Antioquia, Santander)Venezuela (Miranda, Táchira)TrinidadEcuador

🔒 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.