Last Sunday’s column was about bromeliads, known in Thai generally as sapparot see, which are some of the easiest and most rewarding plants to grow. However, there are many kinds of bromeliads, and their light requirements vary. Plants in the genera Vriesia, Guzmania and Nidularium, for example, thrive best when placed in diffused light; when placed in full sun, their leaves will burn.
Blooming magnificent: The leaves of 'Tillandsia ionantha' turn red when it is in bloom or when the climate is cold.
On the contrary, put sun-loving Aechmea blanchetiana in the shade and its reddish yellow leaves will turn green. In the shade, Neoregelia carolinae sports plain green leaves; placed in a sunny place where the climate is cool, the leaves turn to bright red. However, Thailand’s tropical sun is sometimes too hot even for sun-loving Aechmeas, Neoregelias and Billbergias, hence our own collection of bromeliads are housed in greenhouses with black polyethylene plastic netting, known as saran in Thai, as roof, to cut off 50% of the sun’s rays.
Just as the light requirements vary, the potting medium also depends on the type of plant. In their natural habitat, all the genera mentioned above can be found with their roots anchored on branches of trees or leaf mould. When potting them, use broken earthen pottery or crushed clay brick to hold the plants in place, then top with sphagnum moss for its water retention capability. The plants are equally happy planted in chopped coconut husk, which I use because it is cheaper than sphagnum moss, but this decomposes and has to be replaced after a year or so.
If using coconut husk, use coarsely chopped pieces for plants in big pots and small pieces for small plants. Never, ever use coconut coir as this becomes too soggy, causing the plants’ roots to rot. What’s more, it crumbles into compact soil within a few months, losing its ability to hold oxygen and suffocating the plants that did not succumb to root rot.
Coconut coir, however, is useful when mixed with soil and sand as a planting medium for plants other than bromeliads.
Up in the air: Tillandsias are true air plants and do not need soil to grow in.
Variegated pineapple, plants in the genera Cryptanthus and Pitcairnia, and bromeliads with succulent-like leaves like those in the genus Dyckia, thrive best when planted in a mixture of soil, coarse sand and crushed charcoal. All look at their best when placed in full sun.
Of all the bromeliads, the easiest to grow are those in the genus Tillandsia, otherwise known as air plants, for they do not need any planting medium at all. Probably the most well known of these is the Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides), which is sold hanging only from wire.
Tillandsias vary in size, shape and texture. With the exception of T dyeriana and T cyanea, which need a potting medium, most popular species like T concolor, T ionantha, T caput-medusae, T bulbosa, T streptophylla, T fasciculata and other xerophytic — or drought tolerant — tillandsias are true air plants which require nothing more than a piece of wire or thread with which to hang them from the branch of a tree or in your plant nursery. You can also mount them on a piece of driftwood, tie them to a net or put them in a hanging basket or on chicken wire placed above the ground. Although they have roots, they thrive without soil.
Sun-worshippers: Left and above, the sun-loving ‘Aechmea blanchetiana’ and ‘Neoregelia carolinae’ will change colour in the shade.
Unlike other plants, tillandsias have stomata that open during the night to release oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide. Most have silvery scales to keep the plant cool and absorb moisture from the atmosphere. Apart from spraying them with water every other day and liquid fertiliser every month or so, tillandsias need very little care, but they do love fresh air, good light and humidity.
However, they have the ability to adapt to various climatic conditions and the different species mentioned above can be grown anywhere in Thailand.
Tillandsias bear flowers which come in various forms and colours, some brighter than others. Tillandsia ionantha, for example, has tiny violet flowers at the centre of its rosette but makes up for it by having the leaves surrounding the flowers turn to bright red during blooming time or when the climate is cold.
Digging in: Pitcairnia is planted in soil.
Tillandsias form pups which can be left attached to the mother plant until they become an attractive clump, or separated and grown singly. If you opt for the latter, separate the pups when they are half the parent’s size.
Tillandsias bear seeds. To germinate them, all you have to do is attach the seeds to a piece of rope and spray them with water every day. However, it takes several months before the seedlings are big enough to be planted individually. n
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