Air plant

Description:

Tillandsia species are epiphytes (also called aerophytes or air plants) – i.e. they normally grow without soil while attached to other plants. Epiphytes are not parasitic, depending on the host only for support. Moisture and nutrients are gathered from the air (dust, decaying leaves and insect matter) through structures on the leaves called trichomes.

Habitat:

Dozens of these air plants, some practically the size of soccer balls, were on the ground beneath a grove of live oaks.