Flower profile
Cardinal airplant
Tillandsia fasciculata
Cardinal airplant is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Florida it's most often seen in bloom in January–May.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Florida
Quick look
Tillandsia fasciculata, commonly known as the giant airplant, giant wild pine, or cardinal airplant, is a species of bromeliad that is native to Central America, Mexico, the West Indies, northern South America, and the southeastern United States. Within the United States, this airplant is at risk of extirpation from the Mexican bromeliad weevil, Metamasius callizona.
- It belongs to the Bromeliaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 2 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Florida. NatureServe
- In Florida, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in January–May. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 6,693 research-grade sightings of it in Florida, ranking #17 among the 110 flowers on our Florida list. iNaturalist
Cardinal airplant gift ideas
Handmade cardinal airplant gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Cardinal airplant art print
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Cardinal airplant greeting card
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Cardinal airplant mug
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Cardinal airplant earrings
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Cardinal airplant embroidery pattern
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Cardinal airplant sticker
When does it bloom?
In Florida, most flowering sightings come in January–May.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Florida
- State endangered On Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055): state endangered. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Florida. FAC 5B-40.0055
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: GA (SH). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Please don't pick or dig this flower: it's on Florida's rare plant list (state endangered). FAC 5B-40.0055
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records cardinal airplant in 2 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Florida, Georgia.
Florida counties with USDA records: Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole, Volusia.
More Florida flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile TIFA.
- iNaturalist, Tillandsia fasciculata: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Tillandsia fasciculata (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Florida: Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055).
- Florida: Florida Noxious Weed List (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-57.007).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Tillandsia fasciculata (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: Eridan Xharahi via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.