Tillandsia melanocrater tricolor gets the designation “tricolor” because of the constantly changing colors of its leaves. When exposed to sunlight, T. melanocrater tricolor can adopt intense shades from carmine red to cherry: it is a plant that enjoys sunlight. If in the shadow, T. melanocrater tricolor will stay green. When the flowering process begins, the plant acquires purple tones. After flowering, T. melanocrater tricolor produces multiple offsets that tend to hang from the mother plant and form a clump.