Did you know there are plants out there that don’t need soil? You need to check out Air Plants!
Air plants are fascinating in their appearance and behavior. They thrive in humid environments, and rather than rooting into soil, they cling onto a host, like tree bark or a rocky face. In the botanical world, they are known as Tillandsia, which is a genus in the Bromeliacea family.
Whether a Green Thumb or Brown Thumb, Air Plants are for everyone! The greatest thing about these charming lifeforms is that they don’t need you to fuss over them. These low-maintenance beauties only need air, light, and water to flourish.
So how do you care for them?
There are a few easy ways to water them. The first is by misting them regularly with a spray bottle. Second, you can hold them under the faucet for a minute or two—just be sure to use room temperature water. Lastly, you can soak them for 10 to 20 minutes in a cup of water.
How do you know when to ‘water’ an air plant?
You should soak your air plants every week to ten days as a rule of thumb. Air plant leaves tend to feel a little stiffer after you water them, and one of the most telltale signs that your air plant is dehydrated is if its leaves are wrinkled or starting to curl a lot more than they usually do. Air plants prefer bright, indirect sunlight, and their ideal temperature is anywhere between 60 to 80°F. That temperature makes them perfect for the home.
Terrariums are a popular way to display air plants!
Air plants are classified as Epiphytes, which grow on other plants but are not parasitic to their host. These perennial plants get their nutrients from the rain, air, dust, and moss surrounding the host, and they use their roots to attach themselves to things rather than to absorb nutrients.
Examples of well-known epiphytes include various mosses, ferns, lichens, and orchids. Tillandsia air plants range in size from less than an inch to more than 15 feet . Although the leaves are often green, they may be red, yellow, purple, or even pink. Many species are fragrant. Tillandsias propagate by producing offshoots, often known as pups.
There are over 650 species of air plants that can be found naturally basking in the cracks of trees, shrubs, and rocks. Air plants thrive in forests, mountains, and deserts and have been initially discovered clinging to tree trunks in Mexico, Central and South America, and the West Indies. They are closely related to Bromeliads and appear in different shapes and sizes.
Do they bloom? They sure do!
Yes! All Tillandsia plants will bloom, but they will vary pretty significantly in size and color. Some air plants such as Tillandsia usneoides (commonly known as Spanish Moss) have very small green flowers that are easily missed if you don’t look too closely.
Most air plants have a large bract from which the actual flowers, which are much smaller, emerge. Depending on the species, the flower color can vary from a pale pink (Tillandsia tectorum), red (Tillandsia funckiana), purple (Tillandsia ionantha and many others), yellow (Tillandsia crocata), green (Tillandsia usneoides), and even white (Tillandsia aeranthos).
Do Air Plants die after blooming?
Technically, yes, but it’s a bit more complicated than that. After the parent plant flowers, more air plants grow a number of “pups” at their base. These baby air plants, known as pups, then carry on the genetics of their parent. It’s so cool knowing you can have generations out of one initial plant!
Even better, if you’re interested in starting your very own collection, you can separate pups from their base and give them something new to cling to or add them to a whole Tillandsia display! Pups will always exhibit identical characteristics to their parent plants.
How long until pups arrive?
You can expect pups to begin developing shortly after your plants first bloom cycle. It can take anywhere from six months to several years for your air plant to bloom, depending on variety. After blooming, you may start to notice pups developing as little nodes at the base of the mother plant. Continue taking normal care of your air plant through this process.
Once your pups have reached quarter size, you can carefully slice them off the base and start your collection! It’s important to give the pups and the mother plant a couple days for their cut points to harden and heal after separation. Give your plants time and patience to even out in their growing forms, and after three months, you can give them a bit of plant food. Other than that, just keep on with your watering routine!
Start your collection!
It can be intimidating to start a plant collection at first, but once you get the hang of your new hobby, you’ll be a full-blown plant person like all of us here at Bountiful Gardens! When it comes to gardening, there’s no better place to start than Air Plants!
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