Tillandsia ionantha

Native to Mexico and Central America, this evergreen perennial air plant in the bromeliad family grows on trees and rocks and reaches about 5 inches tall. Its narrow, arching leaves are gray-silver to green, with the inner leaves turning red during flowering. Violet-blue tubular flowers have protruding yellow stamens. New offsets form dense clumps, and seeds have feathery hairs that help the wind carry them. It can be grown on a support without soil, in bright filtered light with good airflow. It has naturalized in Broward County, Florida. Photographed in Florida.