Tillandsia tectorum

Tillandsia tectorum, a species of flowering plant in the genus Tillandsia, is native to Peru and Ecuador. This evergreen, epiphytic perennial can grow up to 30cm tall and features narrow, linear grey-silver leaves covered with fuzzy white hairs, reaching lengths of up to 25cm. In spring and summer, small tubular purple-violet flowers emerge from pinkish-purple bracts. Found in large populations on Andean cliff faces and outcroppings, Tillandsia tectorum is a rare air plant. Its unique appearance, with large trichomes and a whimsical form, has made it popular among both novices and enthusiasts of air plants. The plant's adaptation to the extreme conditions of its native Andean climate includes the development of large trichomes to reflect strong solar radiation, as well as the ability to catch nutrients blown in the wind in a low-nutrient environment. With varying sizes due to the variability of climate and elevation in its native range, Tillandsia tectorum displays gentle pink flowers with tiny violet bracts, and during the rainy season, it endures bursts of heavy rain.