Question

Tiny_spiky   Hello, could you help me out with this tiny plant with spiky leaves that lives off the piece of wood? To help you get a rough idea of the actual size, the wood is about 2 x 6 inches. The nursery where I bought it did not know the name nor the origin of this plant. I'm from Malaysia by the way, though the plant may not be native to my country. Many thanks.

Answer
Hi Basha,

This is a type of Bromeliad - I think a Tillandsia.  There are about 3,000 types of Bromeliads; some are arboreal (live on trees), and some are terrestrial (have roots in the ground).  A pineapple is a Bromeliad, and so is Spanish Moss.  Tillandsias are not parasitic, but Epiphytic (air plants).  They use trees as an anchor, but they don't tap the tree for food like Mistletoe, for instance.  There are about 540 species of them, occurring in North and South America and the West Indies.  There are many good websites devoted to caring for these plants.  Below is a link.
thanks,
Susan

http://www.airplantcity.com/care.htm