Pink Quill (Tillandsia cyanea)
March 11, 2008 — Vasant M. SalianPink Quill (Tillandsia cyanea) is a species of flowering plant in the bromeliad family, subfamily Tillandsioideae. An epiphyte native to Ecuador, T. cyanea is among the most commonly cultivated bromeliad species. The foliage grows in a rosette of thin, recurved leaves and the inflorescence is a plume of pink or red bracts from which violet flowers emerge. Each flower lasts 1-3 days, and it continues to produce the flowers for 1-3 months. Some have a cinnamon-clove fragrance - especially in the morning. It flourishes during the summer or the autumn.
T. cyanea are propagated by division or seed. Plants can be divided at anytime of the year. Seeds are germinated on peat moss with temperatures of 65 degrees. Seeds need light to germinate
Taxonomy:
Kingdom : Plantae
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : Liliopsida
Order : Poales
Family : Bromeliaceae
Subfamily : Tillandsioideae
Genus : Tillandsia
Species : Tillandsia cyanea
Pronunciation/Meaning:
- Bromeliaceae (bro-mee-lee-AY-see-ee) - The Bromelia (bromeliad) family, named for Olof (or Olaf) Bromel, 17th century Swedish botanist.
- Tillandsia (til-LAND-see-uh) - Named for Elias Tillands, 17th century Swedish botanist known more for his fear of bodies of water than botany. Tillandsia don’t need much water; and thus named for Tillands.
- cyanea (sy-AN-ee-uh) - Blue colored.
Common Names:
- Pink Quill, Air Plant, Quill-leaf
Links:
Image Courtesy of Gertrud K.
