Plant Portrait: Tillandsia crocata

Tillandsia crocata is a rather humble Tillie when not in bloom. It's sort of a dull green-grey, somewhat fuzzy and out-of-focus looking, definitely not a diva. Until it blooms. No wallflower then!

Tillandsia crocata "Copper Penny", MR 2014

Only a few Tillandsias have scented blooms. And a saffron-colored bloom is very unusual for this genus. The perfume of T. crocata is rich and ebullient. It fills the room with its heady golden scent. It's not an easy Tillie to find, but if you find one, do give it a try.

Tillandsia crocata: a fragrant diva Tillie

Avid Gardener Baker catalogued and named the unusual Tillandsia crocata in 1887. It means, "the Tillie that is like saffron." Most Tillandsias have purple blooms, and a few have scarlet or lilac blossoms. Crocata has a gorgeous (wait for it) saffron-colored flower. And it smells gorgeous, like honey and mimosa.

Tillandsia crocata, MR, 2014

T. crocata is a clumper. The leaves are fine and thickly coated with trichomes, which make it not only silvery, but so fuzzy it's practically pet-able. They are higher altitude tillies (1000-2500m) from Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay. There are three main types, of which T. crocata "Copper Penny" is the most sought after; it has copper colored blooms. All crocatas need more mistings than other Tillies; they can't handle prolonged drought at all.

Tillandsia crocata, MR, 2014

Mine like to grow close to other Tillies, as this keeps their environment more humid. I also give them extra mists or soaks during the winter months when our humidity is below 50%. On the other hand, they cannot tolerate being cold and wet for long. They have to thoroughly dry between waterings and need good air movement. So yeah, they are high maintenance divas. But when in bloom, they go to the living room, where they scent the whole area for a week or more. Gorgeous sopranos of the Tillie world, crocatas are definitely worth the extra effort!

Weekend Plant Portrait: Phal and Tillie

Tillandsia crocata makes a very subtle, silvery background for a flashy Phalaenopsis....

Phal and Tillie, MR, Oct 2014

However, the Phal has no scent, and when T. crocata blooms, its gorgeous perfume fills a room. Have a wonderful weekend in the garden!

Tillandsia of the Month: Tillandsia crocata

I might as well start with the photo....

What a mass of curls! But Tillandsia crocata has even more charms. The small, yellow blooms are intensely fragrant. Not many Tillies have scented blooms, and very few have yellow ones, so this makes T. crocata a special part of a collection.

"Crocatus" means "with saffron yellow", and this Tillandsia hails from Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. Crocatas live at fairly high elevations of 900-2700m. The trichomes are large and winged, and this is to maximize water collection during the few times of the year when it rains frequently.

T. crocata is easy to grow and very drought-tolerant, though it needs more light than the average Tillie. The clumps can grow very dense, and if you have such a clump, it's important to give it good air circulation after watering so that rot doesn't begin at the center.