Tillandsia brachycaulos 'Red Abidita' (Air Plant)

Tillandsia brachycaulos 'Red Abidita' is a bold and reliable bloomer, one of the most vibrantly colored air plants you can grow. In the weeks leading up to flowering, the plant undergoes a dramatic color change: the entire rosette transitions from green to a rich, saturated red before the purple blooms emerge from the center. The transformation can last several weeks, making this one of the most showy of all the Tillandsia varieties.

It's a medium-sized air plant with soft, broad leaves arranged in a flat rosette about four to five inches across. Being a mesic species, it appreciates slightly more moisture than desert-adapted varieties. Soak it for 20 to 30 minutes weekly or mist generously every few days, and make sure it dries fully within a few hours in bright, indirect light. Good air circulation is essential.

It produces pups after flowering, so the rosette multiplies over time into a clump.