Light
Very bright / some direct • approx. 20,000–40,000 lux
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Bromeliaceae
Tillandsia caput-medusae
- Curated selection:
Every plant is hand‑picked for health and visual appeal, so you receive a strong, well‑established plant.
- Representative photos:
Product images show a typical plant of this variety. Natural differences in leaf number, shape or variegation are normal, your plant will still match in type and quality.
- Size details:
Listed sizes refer to pot diameter (cm) and approximate overall height (cm) from the base of the pot to the tallest leaf or stem.
- “Get What You See” items:
If you are buying the exact plant shown in the photos, this is clearly stated in the size section.
- Individual photos:
One‑off photos are only provided when this is explicitly mentioned in the size section. - For special traits or small quirks, please check the full product description.
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Your new plant has just travelled a long way and needs a calm start in its new home. For step-by-step unboxing and first-week care, check our after-delivery care guide. For deeper tips on how your plant settles in over the next weeks, read our houseplant acclimatization guide.
- Care basics , Main hub with links to all houseplant care guides.
- After delivery & first week , Unpacking, first placement, and early recovery.
- Light, How much light houseplants really need indoors.
- Watering , When to water and how to avoid root rot.
- Substrates & roots, Potting mixes and drainage for strong root systems.
- Humidity, When humidity matters and what actually helps.
- Fertilizing, Simple feeding routine without burning roots.
- Problems & pests, Yellow leaves, brown tips, bugs, and fixes that work.
- Semi-hydro, How to run low-maintenance mineral substrates.
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Tillandsia caput-medusae
Quick Care Guide
Watering
Water when ~100% dry
Substrate
Unpotted • No substrate • Good airflow • Dries fully after watering
Temperature
Ideal: 15–30 °C • Avoid below: 12 °C
Humidity
Moist 50–60 %
Growth habit
Rosette-forming epiphytic bromeliad.
Support
not needed
Growth speed
Average
Max size indoors
Max. height: 25 cm • Max. spread: 25 cm
Toxicity & safety
Pet safety unconfirmed
Origin & habitat
Native from Mexico to Central America
Outdoor growing
Outside from 15 °C · specialist outdoor setup
How to read these values
These care values are quick reference points for indoor growing. Use them as a guide, then adjust for pot size, substrate, temperature and how quickly the substrate dries.
For more detail, read the full product description or visit our Plant Care Guides.
- Light: level and approximate lux at leaf level.
- Watering: “% dry” shows how far the substrate should dry before watering again.
- Substrate: structure, drainage, moisture retention, base material and particle size.
- Temperature: “Ideal” shows the preferred range; “Avoid below” marks the cold-stress threshold.
- Humidity: target range; steady conditions usually matter more than exact numbers.
- Growth habit: how the plant grows, such as upright, climbing, trailing, clumping or rosette-forming.
- Support: whether a stake, pole or trellis is needed, optional or unnecessary.
- Growth speed: expected pace under suitable indoor conditions; use as a guide, not a promise.
- Max size indoors: realistic long-term indoor size under good conditions.
- Toxicity & safety: irritation, toxicity or physical hazards such as spines or bristles.
- Origin & habitat: native range, hybrid background or typical habitat where relevant.
- Outdoor growing: when a potted indoor plant can be placed outside and what outdoor protection it needs.
Tillandsia caput-medusae
Tillandsia caput-medusae forms a swollen base with twisting silver-green leaves that curl in different directions. The curved foliage and inflated pseudobulb make thorough drainage from the base important after every wetting.
This species comes from Mexico to Central America and is adapted to seasonally dry epiphytic conditions. Its scaled leaves handle a brighter, drier cycle than greener wet-biome Tillandsias, but the pseudobulb can still rot if water remains trapped inside.
Tillandsia caput-medusae leaf form
- Plant type: Soil-free epiphytic bromeliad.
- Foliage: Narrow silver-green leaves twist from a swollen base.
- Growth habit: Pseudobulb-forming air plant with an irregular outward spread.
- Flowering: Mature plants can produce coloured bracts and purple flowers.
- Placement: The base should remain open rather than pressed into a tight holder.
- Drying: Bright light, airflow, and angled drying protect the pseudobulb.
Pseudobulb structure in Tillandsia caput-medusae
The leaves of Tillandsia caput-medusae are narrow, curved, and coated with moisture-catching scales. They emerge from an inflated base that gives the plant its recognisable outline. That base is a leaf structure, so it should stay exposed rather than buried in moss, soil, or a tight ornament.
In indoor care, its seasonally dry background translates into a clear wet-dry cycle. The plant can be soaked or rinsed, then shaken out and dried in a position where water cannot pool inside the base.
Dry-cycle care for Tillandsia caput-medusae
- Drying: Dry upside down or at an angle before returning it to a mount or holder.
- Water: Wet thoroughly, then shake water out from the swollen base.
- Airflow: Open airflow around the pseudobulb lowers the chance of soft, wet tissue.
- Light: Bright filtered light keeps the plant compact without overheating the leaves.
- Water quality: Use low-mineral water to avoid white residue on the scaled leaves.
- Humidity: Moderate humidity is enough when watering is consistent and drying is complete.
- Temperature: Keep warm and avoid cold, damp conditions.
- Feeding: Use very dilute bromeliad fertiliser occasionally; heavy feeding can leave deposits.
- Substrate: Do not pot in soil, moss, semi-hydro substrate, or a water reservoir.
Base and leaf issues on Tillandsia caput-medusae
- Base rot: A soft or dark base usually means water sat inside the pseudobulb too long.
- Wrinkled leaves: The plant may need a longer soak or more regular watering.
- Dry brown edges: Prolonged dryness can mark the narrow leaf tips.
- Sun marks: Hot direct sun can bleach or scorch the silver-green leaves.
- Pests: Scale and mealybug can hide where the leaves meet the swollen base.
Safety for Tillandsia caput-medusae
Tillandsia caput-medusae should be kept away from pets that pull or chew loose plants. Damaged leaves or swallowed pieces can still cause irritation or stomach upset.
Name background for Tillandsia caput-medusae
The genus name Tillandsia honours Elias Tillandz. The species name caput-medusae means Medusa’s head, referring to the curved leaves that spread from the swollen base.
Plant names, growth habits, natural habitats and indoor care guidance are checked against trusted botanical, habitat and horticultural references before publication.View our plant care resources and references.
FAQs about Tillandsia caput-medusae
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