Tillandsia ionantha

A compact air plant from Mexico and Central America, where it clings to tree bark and rocky outcrops in dry tropical forests. As a true epiphyte, it has no functional roots for water uptake — instead, tiny scale-like cells called trichomes coat its leaves, absorbing moisture and nutrients directly from the air. In cultivation it needs no soil at all; mount it on cork bark or driftwood in an open terrarium with good airflow. The plant puts on a striking display before it blooms: the inner leaves flush deep red or pink before a slender purple inflorescence rises from the centre of the rosette.