How to Care For an Air Plant: Tillandsia
Tillandsia or air plants are resilient and interesting additions to any home. Their unique characteristics allow tillandsia to be grown in a variety of ways and make them great display pieces. Let's go over how to properly grow an air plant and a few interesting ways people choose to display them.
Tillandsia: What is it?
Tillandsia are members of the bromeliad family. This name may ring a bell as the delicious pineapple is also a member of this family. There are around 650 varieties of tillandsia that grow from the southeastern United States, northern Mexico, and down to Argentina. What sets these plants apart from others is their leaves. The leaves absorb water and nutrients, meaning the roots of the plant are mainly for anchoring it. They do not require soil and can grow on any available surface.
Where to grow an air plant
Because air plants don't require soil, they can be grown in a wide variety of containers and surfaces. They are often grown in glass globes and terrariums. They can also be mounted on surfaces like driftwood, stones, and more to make incredible natural displays. You can knit a home for your tillandsia or place them on shelves or even create an octopus out of a shell and air plant! Whatever your dream for plant decor is, you can make it come true with tillandsia.
How to care for an air plant
Now that you've got a million wonderful ideas running through your mind for how you'll display your tillandsia plant, let's talk about how to properly care for it. Your air plant will need plenty of bright indirect sunlight. Make sure you don't keep your plant in a dark part of your house to keep it growing healthy.
How to water an air plant
Since the plant is not rooted in soil, you may be wondering, "How does one water an air plant?" In nature, tillandsia absorb moisture from the air and dew that collects around them. Their leaves funnel any water to the base of the plant.
In your home, you'll want to submerge your air plant and let it soak for an hour. You'll essentially be giving your plant a bath. After an hour has gone by, remove the plant from the water and lightly shake it to remove excess water. Place the plant in a well-lit area and allow it to dry for up to three hours. When it has dried, you can place your air plant back in its display. This may seem like quite the process, however, air plants only require this routine about once a week in the summer months and once every three weeks in the winter. Tip: do not use water containing chlorine as it can harm the plant!
Air plants allow us to stretch our creative muscles to make unique, natural arrangements. And while watering an air plant is a bit more work than most plants, it is absolutely worth it for the beauty of nature that they bring to all spaces where they are displayed. Get tillandsia for your home, office, and your friends' homes too!