Wallisia cyanea 'Antonio' Mounted on Grapewood

Some plants earn their common name. The Pink Quill (Wallisia cyanea, formerly Tillandsia cyanea) produces a flattened, paddle-shaped inflorescence in vivid pink, from which violet flowers emerge one by one over a period of weeks. It's one of the most striking blooms in the bromeliad family, and it lasts.

This is the cultivar 'Antonio'—a remake of the classic cross Tillandsia cyanea × platyrachis, and by most accounts an improvement on the original. It's smaller and more compact, with better foliage and overall conformation. The rosette grows wider than tall, reaching up to 24 inches across, with narrow leaves that taper to a point and hold their rigid, upright form rather than drooping. The inflorescence rises above the foliage and typically carries more than a dozen paddle-shaped pink branches.

Rather than potting it, we've mounted it. The plant sits on a piece of natural grapewood—real California grapevine, harvested, cut, tumbled, and sandblasted to reveal the grain underneath. Grapewood twists. It knots. It forks. No two pieces are alike, and the length and shape you receive will be its own.

What makes this mount different from a standard air plant mount: the roots and base are set with soil and moss rather than left bare. Wallisia cyanea is a green-leaf tillandsia, not a grey desert species—it comes from the rainforests of Ecuador and Peru, where it grows as an epiphyte in constant moisture. A bare mount would leave it too dry. The soil-and-moss base gives it the consistent moisture it actually wants.

The plant and the wood are selected together, so the pairing works. A compact 'Antonio' goes on a denser, more contained piece of wood. A wider rosette goes on a longer, more reaching branch. The proportions are considered, not arbitrary.

Choose your display:

· Hanging — Strung and ready to suspend from a hook, ceiling mount, or bracket. Works well at eye level or in a bright window.
· Sitting — Freestanding, with a flat base that rests stably on a shelf, desk, mantle, or plant stand.

What you're getting:

· Plant: One Wallisia cyanea 'Antonio' (Pink Quill)
· Base: Natural California grapewood, hand-cut, tumbled, or sandblasted
· Mounting: Roots and base set with soil and moss for consistent moisture
· Display: Hanging or Sitting
· Price: $32.95
· Uniqueness: Every piece is one of a kind. The wood guarantees it.

Good to Know:

· The wood varies. Length, shape, thickness, and grain will differ from piece to piece. Photographs show examples, not the exact item you'll receive.
· The mount contains soil and moss. This is not a bare-root mount. The base holds moisture to support a rainforest species, which means it needs more careful watering than a desert tillandsia mount.
· The plant is alive and will eventually pup. Like all bromeliads, Wallisia cyanea blooms once, then produces offsets ("pups") before the original rosette gradually declines. That's the natural cycle. Pups can be left to cluster or removed and mounted separately.
· The inflorescence is long-lasting but not permanent. Expect over three months of color under normal conditions. Brighter light can shorten that window, though it may also cause the foliage to blush reddish.
· Grapewood may darken or lighten with age. Normal, and generally considered an improvement.

Caring for Your Mount:

Bright, indirect light. A position with dappled sun or bright filtered light is ideal. Avoid harsh, direct midday sun, which can scorch the leaves and bleach the flower bract. An east- or west-facing window is a good fit. Unlike desert tillandsias, this one wants consistent moisture—not wet, just moist. Mist the foliage two to three times a week, or soak the plant and base briefly and let it drain. The central rosette can hold a small amount of water; refresh it rather than letting it stagnate.