Tillandsia of the Month: T. concolor

March is a tough month. First lovely warm weather is here, then it's rudely taken from you by Mother Nature, to be replaced by more tiresome winter. If you're in the southern hemisphere, reverse that. If you're in the tropics, you may not care, or even notice that it's March. I don't know. I'm subtropical. Anyway, March is a transitional month. It's prickly and often difficult. And so is the Tillandsia for March, T. concolor ("with color").  Or sincolor ("without color"), as it started out on my Tableful of Tillies....

Tillandsia concolor, in sincolor mode.

T. concolor comes from Mexico. It has exceptionally brittle leaves that are very sharp and pointy. They can break like spun glass, or poke your eye out (never play catch with a T. concolor)! So they are trickier to care for then most. But they are supposed to have wonderful red coloring and huge crimson bracts and flowers. Mine was clearly languishing indoors, so I moved it outside a month ago.

Now it has its true yellow-green color, red edges, and it's blooming! While most of my Tillies can't bear to be outside in the harsh sun and salt spray, T. concolor loves it. Every species has its ways. Tillandsia concolor is beautiful and tough.