Leighton Photography & Imaging

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  • 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 bromelaids.
    Northern Needleleaf (Tillandsia balb..ana)
  • 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
  • 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)
  • 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)
  • 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)
  • 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)
  • 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)
  • 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)
  • A perfect pair of this distant relative of the pineapple growing in a hardwood hammock in Southwest Florida.
    Fuzzywuzzy Airplant (Tillandsia prui..osa)
  • 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)
  • This night-flowering bromeliad is found mainly in Southern Mexico and Central America, but there is a small native population in Southwest Florida.
    Nodding Strap Airplant (Catopsis nutans)
  • The super rare nodding strap airplant growing over a pond in the Fakahatchee Strand in SW Florida.
    Nodding Strap Airplant (Catopsis nutans)
  • 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
  • The terrestrial or semi-aquatic horned bladderwort growing in Monroe County in the Big Cypress National Preserve. This  small carnivorous plant can catch small animals with tiny contracting bladders that suddenly open upon contact and suck in the prey by an inrush of water or air, and trapping it within with a flap-like membrane. These bladders are located among the root-like leaves.
    Horned Bladderwort (Utricularia cornuta)
  • Ghost orchid in full flower on a drab stalk growing from a tangle of green-gray roots. See how the flower just seems to float in mid air?
    Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii)