How did the search for "Tillandsia look alike" go? LOL! Looks like something I would do. You never know which combination of search words will yield what you want. Could it be a Sans?

Tillandsias are bromeliads and these do grow in various potting mediums, soil, just like Pineapples
They grow all over the dry forest in Costa Rica which receives no moisture for many months at a time..and they do survive to get huge!
You may have to wait for a bloom to appear to get a correct ID

This was written as hubby is re-potting a dozen dwarf pineapples.

Here is a link that might be useful: 100's of Bromeliad photos

This post was edited by costaricafinca on Thu, Apr 25, 13 at 14:28

It's certainly a bromiliad and may even be a Tillandsia....don't know.

There is a pretty active Bromiliad Forum and Houseplant Forum that may be able to help you. I'd try the Bromiliad peeps first.

This post was edited by rhizo_1 on Thu, Apr 25, 13 at 21:34