| Positive | Monocromatico | On Oct 18, 2003, Monocromatico from Rio de Janeiro
Brazil (Zone 11) wrote:This isnīt a moss, but a bromeliad, although most people wouldnīt say it... and a bizarre one. Instead of having long and broad leaves, and a very short stem, this plant has a very long stem and short leaves. If it wasnīt uncommon enough, this is an absolutely aerial plant, needing no soil at all.
The leaves are densely covered with specialized white hairs that helps on water and mineral absortion directly from the air, making the foliage more important than roots on that function. The stem grows hanging from the fixation point, reaching up to 20cm long. The inflorescence is discrete, bearing 3-5 white flowers that perish quickly and are hardly noticed. The seed pods produce abundant hairy seeds.
All it needs is some air movement, regular watering, moderate temperatures and light. You can try to fix it to a tree, or some bark bits, or even rocks, but the plant doesnīt require any kind of soil at all, only a place where it can hang down and get air movement. In Rio de Janeiro, itīs common to see them growing on electrical cables, and I have minde hanging on a wall for several years, for example, so as long as you find the right place for it, it will prosperate. |
