Northern Needleleaf

(Tillandsia balbisiana)

This bromeliad clusters on a variety of trees and shrubs. It is epiphytic (meaning it relies on its host plant without harming it) and closely related to pineapples and Spanish Moss. The tubular, purple flowers attract hummingbirds, blooming from January through June. The showy floral bracts are typically red on the lower ones and greenish-yellow on the upper ones. This plant reproduces by windborne seeds. Dying plants that have already flowered will send out suckers, aka pups, creating new plants. This plant is native to Florida.

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