The silvery Tillandsia tectorum is a lithophyte (growing on rocks) native to the high Andes of Peru and Ecuador. At lower elevations, the plants are content to perch on cacti. Tillandsia tectorum is a plant adapted to little rain, few nutrients, and intense solar radiation. The silvery appearance is due to peltate (shield-shaped) trichomes that overlap, entirely covering the narrow leaves.

These trichomes serve several purposes. They protect the plant from damaging UV radiation, reflecting most of the incoming light. They collect moisture from fog and dew. They trap dust, the only source of nutrients for the plant's growth. And they shield the stomata from excess loss of water.

The tough, wiry roots of Tillandsia are hold-fasts, anchoring the plant in place. Unlike other plant roots, Tillandsia roots have no root hairs to absorb moisture or nutrients. Because the peltate trichomes perform the absorption of water and nutrients, Tillandsia are very slow growing, but durable plants. They seldom need watering and then only with rain or filtered water.

Tillandsia tectorum literally means the "Tillandsia of roofs", a reference to the plants being cultivated on rooftops by the local people.

For an excellent book on this genus, read Tillandsia by Paul T. Isley III. The book contains 30 pages of scanning electron micrographs of the diverse peltate trichomes of Tillandsia.