Started Tillandsia Ionantha at the wrong time — lessons learned

I planted Tillandsia Ionantha at entirely the wrong point in the growing calendar and spent the first few months wondering what I'd done wrong. scale insects or mealybug in the leaf bases didn't help matters. Once I understood misting more frequently in hot dry indoor conditions things improved substantially.

flowers only once in a lifetime but produces offsetting pups after is what makes this plant worth persisting with. In a decorative driftwood or cork bark mount it finally looks as good as I'd imagined. flowering triggered by lengthening days in spring or summer redeemed the whole effort. If you're starting out: do your timing research before you plant.