Epiphytes for the Rainforest Garden!

You may know my friend, Steve,

at The Rainforest Garden. 

He graciously hosts "Epiphyte Day"

on the first of the month. 

What a great meme! 

I mean, who doesn't love an epiphyte?! 

I for one, am a HUGE fan. 

I was never exposed to these wonders of the trees

until I moved to Florida.  

I was amazed to see them growing

naturally in the trees. 

It's similar to seeing an animal in the wild

for the first time after only viewing it in a zoo.

Actually, I lied. 

I had seen tillandsia before moving to Florida.

I remember seeing them in the checkout lane

of groceries and drug stores...

you know...they glued them to magnets

and stuck them to the sides of the pop coolers. 

I mentally put them in the same category as Sea Monkeys

or some other odd novelty that is fun for awhile

until they eventually die.

http://www.sea-monkey.com/

In southern Florida,

'air plants' are ridiculously common,

although those found in their natural environment (ie trees)

are predominantly, and fiercely, protected.  

Felony charges, huge fines and prison sentences 

are realities for anyone snagging plants or seeds. 

I'm lucky, though. 

I have 'air plants' growing in my yard naturally. 

Of course, you can legally purchase many forms.  

I found a Florida website that sells tillandsia...

Deltona Seashells and Gifts...

LOTS of varieties!  

Can you see this one? 

It's a little hard to see among the pine needles. 

Here's another view...

It's the only plant on the leafless branch

about 30-40 feet high. 

Isn't it amazing how these plants find a spot

so high up on such a small pine branch. 

I wonder, as it grows,

if the pine will be able to support its weight. 

Others are more predominant

lower in the canopy...

actually, in the trunks of sable palms

where comfy pockets offer necessary nutrients. 

This one has resided here a while...it has sprouted pups.

I have yet to see them bloom although I've only lived here 4 months.

This one has a friend...the little grassy garland is a tillandsia as well.

This photo is worth clicking on to enlarge. 

You'll see 3 different tillandsia in very close proximaty. 

The obvious specimen is front and center. 

There's another little bulbous one in the top left corner

and yet another with bluish gray coloring 

in the left portion,

just underneath the 'front and center' tillandsia. 

Here's a close up of the bluish gray colored tillandsia. 

It has some palm debris entwined in it's leaves,

but I leave it for nutrient's sake.

I showed this bulbous youngster in my previous post,

 "Things That Cheer Me Up".  

This tillandsia bloomed last year,

before I purchased the property. 

However, the seed pods, now brown

but originally (probably) bright red,

are now offering seeds...

something I've never witnessed before.

The seeds are similar to a dandelion seed -

the seed is attached to a 'puff' that is air lifted

sending the embryo to its home via the wind. 

HOWEVER...there's another epiphyte,

albeit not a tillandsia, 

in this photo as well...do you see the fern? 

These fantastic plants sprout in the same environment

as the tillandsia. 

Here's a sweet younster just starting to stretch out.

In the same tree but on the opposite side...

OK...so this is NOT a tillandsia either,

but it IS an epiphyte. 

This bromelaid was obviously planted here

since there's no others climbing the tree. 

It looks as though it's had better days. 

But wait...what's that?!?!

Yes, she's getting up in age and

has seen better days,

but will not leave without

providing offspring to carry on her legacy. 

What a great surprise!!!

On ANOTHER side of the same tree,

this little tillandsia is snug as a bug

in it's tree side pocket. 

I have no idea about the exact names

of these various tillandsia,

but I am captured by this type

with its curling tentacles. 

Oh! Oh!  Pick me!!  I know!! I know!!!

This one is an Ionantha,

or a Mexican Ball. 

I purchased this in bloom

a couple of years ago.

It's getting larger, but no blooms yet this year. 

I have a Hispanic friend

who informs me that

the children in her country play

with these like toys.

This clump of Ball Moss,

or tillandsia recurvata,

fell from a pine tree in my yard from high winds.

(See how I'm impressing you

with the names of two tillandsia?!?!) 

This type of tillandsia is EVERYWHERE. 

They cover trees and seemingly suffocate them. 

So, after all that tillandsia

and a smattering of other epiphytes, 

back to my friend, Steve of

The Rainforest Garden. 

If you don't know Steve or his blog,

you've gotta check him out! 

Go on...go...right now!!!

Why are you still here?!?!  Go....!

ps...thanks so much for stopping by!!