Tillandsia bulbosa is widespread throughout Central and South America; growing in countries such as Colombia, southern Mexico, Venezuela and the West Indies. It grows in dense masses on trees in open woods, in dense forests, in mangrove thickets along the coast, and on lianas on the shores of rivers from sea level to an altitude of 1400 meters. It is a small epiphyte, which reaching up to 25-30 cm in length, with the leaves narrow, and curled in at the edges to produce straw like tubes, which are oddly twisted and contorted, giving plants a rather weird appearance. This air plant blooms from simple to sub-digitate, distichous, red or green; spikes spreading, lanceolate, acute, flattened, 2-5 cm long, 2-8-flowered inflorescence. When flowering, the uppermost leaves become brilliantly colored in scarlet tones, and the erect flower scape is red and very short; the tubular flowers have bright violet petals. After the Bulbosa has flowered, it will produce plant babies called Pups. Pups should not be removed until it is half to two-thirds the size of its mother.
