Bromeliaceae FAMILY

Tillandsia xiphioides

Edibility

0/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Perennial

Growth—

Prefers a moist, partially shaded position^[1]. The plant has a very sparse root system, mainly used for anchoring itself to the branches of trees. The plant absorbs most of its moisture and nutrients from the humid air of its environment, through the absorbent scale-coating of its leaves^[2].

Propagation

Seed - Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Tillandsia+xiphioides>

Pollinators

Data unavailable

References

[1]Tropical Ornamentals; A Guide — Whistler. W. Arthur. · Timber Press Inc. Oregon. · 2000 · ISBN 0-88192-448-2 ↩︎An excellent little guide to some of the more commonly cultivated ornamental plants of the Tropics, often giving some information on the plants other uses.
[2]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[3]Rhodora Vol. 71 — Hodgdon A.R. (Editor) · The New England Botanical Club; Cambridge, Mass. · 1969 · http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org ↩︎Includes a treatment of the genus Tillandsia.
[4]Dictionary of Economic Plants. — Uphof. J. C. Th. · Weinheim · 1959 · ISBN - ↩︎An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.