Species · genus Tillandsia · Bromeliaceae

Ballmoss

Tillandsia recurvata (L.) L.

Also known as: Small Ballmoss · Ball-moss · Bunch-moss · Old Man's Beard

Growth habit

epiphyte

Native range

Brazil Northeast

Reference · T. recurvata

Cultivars of T. recurvata

The named forms growers keep — each with its own page, each honest about how much we know.

No named cultivars catalogued under T. recurvata yet. When growers document a stable, named form, it earns its own page here.

Guide

The species-level account. Cultivar pages build on this and say where they differ.

Tillandsia recurvata is a rootless epiphyte from northeastern Brazil that clings to bark and twigs rather than sitting in soil, absorbing moisture through its leaves. Mist or briefly soak it, then let it dry fully in moving air; water again when the leaves feel dry and the plant is light, never leaving water pooled in the rosette where it will rot. Give it a bright spot out of harsh direct sun and good airflow.

Care recipe

The species record — the baseline every cultivar inherits unless it says otherwise.

Care notes are early — not yet verified

Light: ai:claude-opus-4-8
Water: ai:claude-opus-4-8 (range 3-7d)
Humidity: ai:claude-opus-4-8
Soil: ai:claude-fable-5
Care: ai:claude-fable-5

Light

Bright, indirect

Water

≈ every 7 days

Humidity

Medium

Temperature

10–32 °C

Soil mix

None — mounted or displayed bare as an air plant

Propagation

Offset pups; forms ball-like colonies

Fertilizing

Dilute air-plant feed misted occasionally

Growth rate

Slow

Flowering

Small pale violet flowers when mature

ToxicityAuthoritative · species

Not yet documented

This is where toxicity lives — every cultivar of this species inherits it and none can override it.

Reference images

Every image credited. Licenses link to their deeds.

No reference gallery yet

A few clear photos — habit, a mature leaf, a flower if it blooms — would give this page its eyes.

Add images

Sources: ai:claude-opus-4-8 · ai:claude-opus-4-8 (range 3-7d) · ai:claude-fable-5

Kept true by its growers

Every fact here carries its source. Grow Ballmoss yourself? What you’ve observed — how it drinks, how it holds its color, a name that’s off — is exactly what keeps this page honest. Contributions are reviewed before anything changes.