Leighton Photography & Imaging

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  • Close-up of the inflorescence of the cardinal airplant, photographed here deep in the Fakahatchee Strand of Southwest Florida. You can just see a few of the purple flowers emerging.
    Cardinal Airplant (Tillandsia fascic..ata)
  • This massive yet common airplant in the wilder parts of the Florida Everglades blooms in the winter among the cypress groves and hammocks of the swamps.
    Cardinal Airplant
  • Brilliantly red and yellow, the inflorescences of most species of Tillandsia air plants are very striking and beautiful, such as this cardinal airplant in the Fakahatchee Strand of Southwest Florida. Before long, thin, tubular purple flowers will emerge from this member of the pineapple family.
    Cardinal Airplant
  • Close-up of the wiry stems of Spanish moss. Contrary to the name, Spanish moss in neither a moss, nor is it Spanish. It's a native bromeliad that is closely related to pineapples and air plants found in the tropics and subtropics. This interesting epiphytic plant is most often found hanging from live oaks in the American Southeast, Texas, Mexico and Caribbean Islands where it clings to the bark of these trees by tiny scales on their long thread-like stems. Spanish moss is completely harmless to their host trees, except in some cases where there can be so much of it that it actually blocks the sunlight needed for photosynthesis. This small, isolated piece on was found in the Corkscrew Swamp near Naples, Florida.
    Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usneoides)
  • Deep in the remote wilderness between the Florida Everglades and Lake Okeechobee in South Florida there is a wildly disturbed area, that once was part of the  great Everglades watershed system, but now is mostly drained from human activity, water management, and citrus and sugarcane farming leaving behind a vast tangle of dry wilderness where there are few people, roads or even access (for the faint of heart). One part of this vast landscape that still does carry water south is the Okaloacoochee Slough. In pockets of this region, you can still find survivors hanging on for dear life, such as this northern needleleaf bromeliad, which was found way off the highway in a rare dome of bald cypress trees. This was the first time I'd ever seen one so far north, and it looked healthy and ready to bloom!
    Northern Needleleaf (Tillandsia balb..ana)
  • Potbelly airplant growing in the Everglades National Park. These are very common in the wetlands of South Florida, and are most often found on cypress trees.
    Potbelly Airplant (Tillandsia paucif..lia)
  • Also known as the hoary airplant, this rare bromeliad is infrequently seen in the Fakahatchee Strand in SW Florida, as this one was.
    Fuzzywuzzy Airplant (Tillandsia prui..osa)
  • A beautiful cluster of cardinal airplants in bloom growing in a cypress tree in the Florida Everglades near Homestead. These endangered epiphytes are often visited by hummingbirds.
    Cardinal Airplant (Tillandsia fascic..ata)
  • A perfect pair of this distant relative of the pineapple growing in a hardwood hammock in Southwest Florida.
    Fuzzywuzzy Airplant (Tillandsia prui..osa)
  • Detailed image of the inflorescence of the northern needleleaf air plant, complete with it's purple, tube-like flower. This one was found growing in a tree in the Fakahatchee Strand of Southwest Florida - one of North Americas hotspots for rare plants such as these bromeliads.
    Northern Needleleaf (Tillandsia balb..ana)
  • Close-up of the incredibly colorful inflorescence of the northern needleleaf airplant, one of many subtropical airplants only found in Southern Florida. Soon after flowering it will die (typical of bromeliads), and the drying seedpods will split, sending the tiny airborne seeds to take root on another tree to start the next generation.
    Northern Needleleaf (Tillandsia balb..ana)
  • Contrary to the name, Spanish moss in neither a moss, nor is it Spanish. It's a native bromeliad that is closely related to pineapples and air plants found in the tropics and subtropics. This interesting epiphytic plant is most often found hanging from live oaks in the American Southeast, Texas, Mexico and Caribbean Islands where it clings to the bark of these trees by tiny scales on their long thread-like stems. Spanish moss is completely harmless to their host trees, except in some cases where there can be so much of it that it actually blocks the sunlight needed for photosynthesis. This was part of an enormous patch found in an area along the Rio Grande right next to the US-Mexico border near Alamo, Texas.
    Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usneoides) - 3
  • Contrary to the name, Spanish moss in neither a moss, nor is it Spanish. It's a native bromeliad that is closely related to pineapples and air plants found in the tropics and subtropics. This interesting epiphytic plant is most often found hanging from live oaks in the American Southeast, Texas, Mexico and Caribbean Islands where it clings to the bark of these trees by tiny scales on their long thread-like stems. Spanish moss is completely harmless to their host trees, except in some cases where there can be so much of it that it actually blocks the sunlight needed for photosynthesis. This one was found in an area along the Rio Grande right next to the US-Mexico border near Alamo, Texas.
    Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usneoides) - 1
  • Close-up of the wiry stems of Spanish moss. Contrary to the name, Spanish moss in neither a moss, nor is it Spanish. It's a native bromeliad that is closely related to pineapples and air plants found in the tropics and subtropics. This interesting epiphytic plant is most often found hanging from live oaks in the American Southeast, Texas, Mexico and Caribbean Islands where it clings to the bark of these trees by tiny scales on their long thread-like stems. Spanish moss is completely harmless to their host trees, except in some cases where there can be so much of it that it actually blocks the sunlight needed for photosynthesis. This was found in an area along the Rio Grande right next to the US-Mexico border near Alamo, Texas.
    Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usneoides) - 2
  • The potbelly airplant growing in the Everglades National Park. The thick, firm leaves are covered in a silvery fuzz, and are identified by their twisting leaves, and cardboard-like texture.
    Potbelly Airplant (Tillandsia paucif..lia)
  • This distant relative to the pineapple is endangered in the wild in North America. Confined to a few remaining counties in locations far out into the Florida Everglades and Puerto Rico, it is listed as a threatened species. Major concerns for this species are habitat loss and an invasive exotic weevil (Metamazius callizona) found in South Florida that kills it. Luckily this species is also native to Brazil, Venezuela and Bolivia, where populations are more stable. This one was photographed in SW Florida's Fakahatchee Strand. Look closely and you will see it sharing a limb with native zig-zag orchid (Epidendrum rigidum) in this submerged pond apple tree.
    West Indian Tufted Airplant (Guzmani..hia)
  • Bromeliads are as common as orchids in the Fakahatchee Strand in Collier County, Florida. These huge West Indian tufted airplants have literally covered this pond apple tree.
    West Indian Tufted Airplants (Guzman..hia)