Tillandsia ultima facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tillandsia ultima |
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| Scientific illustration of 𝘛. 𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘢 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Tillandsia
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| Species: |
ultima
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Tillandsia ultima is a special kind of flowering plant that grows in Colombia and Ecuador. It's part of a group of plants called Tillandsia, which are often known as "air plants" because they don't need soil to grow! This plant was first found in Colombia in 1946, in a place called Magdalena.
About This Unique Plant
Tillandsia ultima is an epiphyte. This means it's a plant that grows on other plants, like trees, but it doesn't harm them. Instead, it gets its water and nutrients from the air, rain, or debris around it. Think of it like a guest living on a tree! Sadly, Tillandsia ultima is considered an endangered species in Colombia. This means there aren't many of them left, and scientists are working to protect them.
Where Tillandsia ultima Lives
This amazing plant lives in places with specific weather. It can be found in areas with a tropical savanna climate, which has warm temperatures all year and distinct wet and dry seasons. It also lives in places with a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, which has hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. In both Colombia and Ecuador, Tillandsia ultima grows high up in the mountains, at elevations around 3,000 meters (about 9,800 feet) above sea level.
Plant Varieties
Sometimes, different types of a plant are grown for special features, and these are called cultivars. For Tillandsia ultima, there are no special cultivars listed in the official plant registry. This means the plants you find are usually the natural, wild type.
See also
In Spanish: Tillandsia ultima para niños
