Tillandsia tricholepis
A minute, moss-like grey air plant of subgenus Diaphoranthema from Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil, forming small tufts of scaly, needle-short leaves on branches, cacti and rocks. It is famous for lacking stomata and relying on its dense trichomes; it grows in bright, seasonally dry woodland. In cultivation it wants very bright light, strong airflow and frequent light misting that dries quickly.
Where it grows wild
Epiphytic on the twigs and branches of trees and shrubs, and sometimes on cacti and rocks, in seasonally dry forests, Chaco woodland and open savanna. It sits in exposed, well-lit positions with frequent dew and mist.
GBIF occurrence elevations range from near sea level to about 2,600 m, with many records at 450–800 m. Our data file had no usable wild records, so this is not measured.
🔒 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.