Powdery strap airplant
Catopsis berteroniana
Bromeliaceae


Landscape Uses:

Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations.

Ecological Restoration Notes:

A somewhat rare epiphyte in hammocks and swamps.
Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts.
Description:
Epiphytic herb with light green leaves with a powdery coating.
Height:
About 6-12 inches in height; more when in flower. Taller than broad.
Growth Rate:
Moderate.
Range:
Miami-Dade and Collier counties and the Monroe County mainland; West Indies, southern Mexico, Central America and northern South America. Very rare or extirpated in the Monroe County Keys.
Habitats:
Swamps and moist forests.
Soils:
Epiphytic; grows on the trunks and branches of trees and shrubs.
Nutritional Requirements:
Low; it grows on nutrient poor substrate.
Salt Water Tolerance:
Low; does not tolerate flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance:
Moderate; grows near salt water, but is protected from direct salt spray by other vegetation.
Drought Tolerance:
Low; requires moist substrate and high humidity and is intolerant of long periods of drought.
Light Requirements:
Full sun to light shade.
Flower Color:
White.
Flower Characteristics:
Semi-showy inflorescence.
Flowering Season:
Fall-winter.
Fruit:
Green to brown capsule with hairy, wind dispersed seeds.
Wildlife and Ecology:
Water is held in the "tank" at the base of the leaves, which insects and sometimes small vertebrates will utilize.
Horticultural Notes:
Can be grown from seed.
Comments:
It is listed as endangered by the state of Florida.


James Johnson, 2014
In habitat, Everglades National Park, Florida
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George D. Gann, 2011
Cultivated plants, Belize
Roger L. Hammer
Keith A. Bradley
Bruce Holst