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Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Tillandsia fasciculata (Quill-leaf airplant)
Cressler, Alan

Tillandsia fasciculata

Tillandsia fasciculata Sw.

Quill-leaf Airplant, Cardinal Airplant, Quill-leaf, Clustered Wild-pine, Dog-drink-water, Common Wild-pine

Bromeliaceae (Bromeliad Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: tifa

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), PR (N), VI (N)

An air plant with inconspicuous flowers in the axils of showy bracts, which are usually red.

This is the most common air plant (epiphyte), especially on Bald Cypress. Air plants get their nourishment from the air, rain, and minerals leached from the host tree. Among the 15 other erect species of Tillandsia that occur in Florida are Ballmoss (T. recurvata), with narrow leaves forming grayish ball-like clusters on branches of deciduous trees, especially oaks; Needle-leaf Wild Pine (T. setacea), with very narrow, needle-like leaves; T. pruinosa, with a distinctive coat of hoary scales; and Giant Wild Pine (T. utriculata), the largest species in the United States, with leaves reaching 2 feet (60 cm) in length and a flowerstalk up to 6 feet (1.8 m) tall.

 

From the Image Gallery

8 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Flower stalks up to about 2 feet tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Violet
Bloom Time: Jan , Feb , Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug
Bloom Notes: Violet to white, often inconspicuous.

Distribution

USA: FL , GA
Native Distribution: Florida.
Native Habitat: Cypress swamps; in hammocks, usually on cypress trees.

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.

Additional resources

USDA: Find Tillandsia fasciculata in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Tillandsia fasciculata in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Tillandsia fasciculata

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-03-14
Research By: TWC Staff

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