Giant Airplant

Giant airplant is a large, epiphytic bromeliad that grows as a rosette rather than in soil. It is native from Florida and the Caribbean through parts of Central America and northern South America. Its gray-green leaves form a substantial tank, and a mature plant sends up a branched flower stalk before completing its life cycle. ## Identification The accepted name is Tillandsia utriculata, in the Bromeliaceae. Kew records it as an epiphyte of wet tropical biomes. The plant profile describes a rosette of gray-green leaves, greenish-white flowers, and a branched stalk that can rise several feet above the foliage. ## Garden Use Grow it mounted on bark, driftwood, or a suitable host in a warm, humid setting with bright filtered light or partial shade. It can also be displayed as a container specimen, but it should not be planted in ordinary potting soil. The existing size and hardiness labels are retained as regional growing guidance. ## Maintenance Water by soaking or misting, then let the plant drain and dry with good air movement. Increase attention during hot, dry weather and protect it from cold. A flowering rosette is monocarpic and declines after bloom. [Plants of the World Online, Kew](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:254406-2); [PlantRef](https://www.plantref.org/plants/tillandsia-utriculata).