Tillandsias are locals. They grow here in the SE US, and through Central America. A lot of folks think "air plants" don't need any actual care, but in fact, they do need a fair bit of diffused light, and a lot of humidity and water. They just use their leaves instead of their roots to get the water and nutrtion that any plant needs to grow. Many people grow them in beautiful glass orbs to keep the humidity high. I don't mind misting mine morning and evening, so I keep them in homemade ceramic pots, on top of some orchid mix, which is mostly bark and perlite. I give them a good soaking twice a week in a bucket of water with a tad of vinegar and fertilizer added. The Tillandsia in the center of the photo is one of my favorites; it's small and very feathery, fun to hold in my hand. Basically, it's a cutie of the Tillandsia world, and it has a great name, filifolia. Say it ten times fast! Its roomie is a Tillandsia caput medusae (cool name!) which is soft and fuzzy, not monstrous at all. You can look at it straight on, and, unlike Perseus, you won't need a shiny shield to see it.
