Tillandsia guatemalensis L. B. Sm.

Tillandsia cyanea originates from the American Tropics and Sub-Tropics, and was first found in the rainforests of Ecuador (Rauh 1990). The closer to the equator the more this plant will thrive (Rauh 1990). The plant is mainly found in the western hemisphere in various coastal countries in South America (Rauh 1990). The plant needs temperatures to stay above 45 degrees Fahrenheit, so that puts some restrictions on higher elevations where the temperature can drop below that (Pierek et.al 1991). Tillandsia cyanea gathers most of its moisture and nutrients through aerial roots so it is necessary for it to be in a humid climate. It is considered an epiphyte you will often find it sitting high in trees (Horich 1956). T. cyanea is considered a rare sight in the wild but it is possible to come across certain areas where the plant can be found in numbers. If searching for the plant your best bet would be in humid, sub- tropic rain forest well off the beaten path (Horich 1956). This plant has become very popular in greenhouses all over the world and is distributed as an indoor house plant due to the low level of care and maintenance that is required (Pierek et.al 1991).

Tillandsia cynea, commonly known as Pink Quill, belongs to the Bromeliad family and is native to Ecuador. The Pink Quill plant is a unique plant that has a very fascinating style and shape that is eye catching. Tillandsia cynea is a small plant that contains brightly colored flowers that sits at the center of long narrow point tipped leaves arranged in a loose rosette that is hardy from zones 9-11 (Horich 1996). Tillandsia cynea has a height of 20-30 cm and a width of 25-40 cm on average. The leaves have a grayish green foliage with a touch of reddish brown found at the start of the leaves, they grow anywhere from 30 to 45cm long and 1-2cm wide. The flower that sits in the middle ranges from beautiful bright colors of red, purple, or pink. The shape of the flower is the most interesting characteristic because it looks like a thick fan composed of a number of smooth, overlapping, brightly colored bracts. Just when you think it couldn’t be any more strange, actual flowers appear from either side of the edge of the inflorescence in between the overlapping bracts that consists of three broad violet-blue colored petals. The hard fan shaped flower head measures 10-15cm long and 5cm wide. Each flower bloom that grows off the flower head measures about 5 cm across. The whole flower usually lasts anywhere from 1 to 3 months (Vervaeke 2004) . Tillandsia cynea isn’t just unique because of how it looks but also because of the way it grows and receives nutrients. It is epiphytic, meaning it doesn’t normally grow on the ground and usually sits on trees, which is why it is a popular houseplant grown in a small pot. It also does not require much water and the roots are able to absorb water and nutrients from the moisture in the air. So for best growing results do not dump water directly in the pot or else the roots will rot. Instead it is best to spray the foliage with water. Tillandsia cynea is generally disease free and is most suitable in warm environments with temperatures that don’t drop below 55 degrees Fahrenheit and does best in in bright filtered light (Vervaeke 2004). Being an epiphyte, as stated before, the plant also does best in a more moderate to high humid environment. Tillandsia cynea is without question a fascinating plant that is small but very eye catching and beautiful tropical look.

Tillandsia cyanea, like others in its family Bromeliaceae, originates from the tropical and subtropical rainforests of Central and South America (Vervaeke et al., 2004). Tillandsia cyanea is epiphytic and often found at the top of trees and other shrubs since this is where they can access sunlight in the cover canopy of the rainforest (Vervaeke et al., 2003; Horich, 1956). Even though Tillandsia cyanea is an arboreal plant, if it was to fall through the canopy onto the floor it would take root in the rotting foliage of the forest floor and into Oxisol soil (Horich, 1956 & Carvalho et al. 2016). Since the plant is usually arboreal, its root system is lacking having only a few roots. (Horich, 1956). The plant is best cultivated in warm temperatures, 21°C to 44°C (Vervaeke et al., 2004 & Horich, 1956). The average humidity for the area the plant lives in is around 66% (Horich, 1956). The average rainfall in the tropical rainforest is 1345 mm (Carvalh et al. 2016). Bromeliads have floral features such as tubular flowers, conspicuous flowers and a lack of odor which correlates with its main pollinator, the hummingbirds (Figueiredo, 2005). Other pollinators include butterflies and bees (Figueiredo, 2005). The flowers of Tillandsia cyanea are hypogenous and bloom durings the wet season (Vervaeke et al., 2003 & Figueirdo, 2005). The plant is bisexual and is three-parted like most monocots. The fruit of Tillandsia cyanea is a capsule, which is dispersed via the wind (Vervaeke et al., 2003 & Figueirdo, 2005).

Wallisia cyanea, or pink quill, is a species of plant of the genus Wallisia in the bromeliad family, native to the rainforests of Ecuador. An epiphytic perennial growing to 50 cm (20 in) high by 50 cm (20 in) wide, it has stemless rosettes of thin, recurved leaves and paddle-shaped spikes of 20 pink bracts with violet flowers, in spring and autumn.

The Latin specific epithet cyanea means "blue", referring to the intense purple-violet hue of the flowers.

With a minimum temperature of 7 °C (45 °F), this plant is often cultivated as a low-maintenance houseplant in temperate regions, often sold alongside orchids or by itself. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Wallisia cyanea was formerly placed in Tillandsia, but following DNA analysis, was reassigned to Wallisia.

Cultivars of W. cyanea include Wallisia 'Anita' and Wallisia 'Sandy'.