Easy Care Air Plants

A guidebook by Peggy Anne Dye Wells

We hope this guide will give you some productive information for the care of these wonderful plants and some ideas on how to display them.
For the elderly, the physically challenged or the youngest gardeners, these are especially welcome gifts of nature. At a time when so many of us lead such busy lives, an easy care plant is a welcome addition to our home, patio or office.

Peggy Wells

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Air Plant Habitat

To better understand how to care for Air Plants, it is helpful to know a little about the growing conditions of their native lands.
Of any plant family that has found a means of survival where no other plants can, Tillandsias are among the most advanced. Their ability to thrive and reproduce without the benefit of soil or roots makes them truly remarkable.
It is difficult to explain the cultural requirements of air plants on a small care tag attached to a plant, and most information available about this family of plants is directed to the care and cultivation of Bromeliads, which are in the same family.
We hope to enlighten you!

These plants grow in the southernmost portions of the U.S. through Mexico and Central America, and south to most of South America. All of these regions are tropical and for the most part, frost free.
Epiphytic Tillandsias use their roots as anchors to hold fast to tree branches and rocks. They will send out small “feeder” roots if there is organic matter on a branch, but they primarily feed through their leaves.
Many Tillandsias grow in high humidity areas. Rainstorms in these areas are preceded and followed by high winds, drying the plants out after the rain.

All moisture and nutrients required by Tillandsias are absorbed by means of the silver scales that cover the plant. The thin walls of these scales permit water to enter the leaves but prevent its escape. The silvery color of these scales also helps the plant remain cool by reflecting some of the sunlight that reaches the plant. Because these scales are essential to the plant’s survival, it is critical that they not be scuffed off. For this reason, the plants should be handled as little as possible.
From the description of Tillandsia habitat, we can deduce that most require medium to very high light (depending on the species), occasional watering followed by rapid drying, good air circulation and modest but consistent fertilizing.

• NOTE:
  The fertilizing of air plants commercially is done primarily to force early bloom and speed the growth cycle. (See Air Plant Care – FERTILIZATION)
  Although these plants are epiphytes, they are NOT parasites. Parasites obtain nutrients from their host while an epiphyte treats its host as nothing more than a platform to stand on. These plants do not harm their host in any way.

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Air Plant Growth Cycle

Tillandsias have a cycle of growth.
A single plant will grow to maturity. The size of an adult Tillandsia depends on the species and the country of origin. The same species may grow much larger in one country than another. They can be as small as ½ inch or as large as 12-14 inches for larger varieties.
When a mature plant is well cared for, it will reward you by blooming. Flowers are produced in showy little blue, purple, red, pink, orange or white spikes that arise from the center of the rosette of the leaves.
For some species, before and during bloom, and other species, after bloom, they begin diverting their energy into the production of offsets (pups or babies).

Most offsets will be produced around the base or lower leaf axils of the mother plant, being nourished by her until they are large enough to be removed.
Pups may be removed from the mother plant when they are 1/2 to 2/3 the size of the mother. To remove the pup, simply detach it as close to the base of the mother plant as possible.

• NOTE: Pups do not have to be removed from the mother plant. They will grow and bloom themselves while still attached.
  Most Tillandsias will produce several pups.

These pups may emerge all at once or, after removal of appropriately sized offshoots, the mother may produce another “crop” of pups.
The offshoots will appear as tiny knots or bumps when they are first forming. On some varieties you will notice one of the bottom leaves extending out from the base of the plant. If you look carefully, you will see the bud formation of a pup under this leaf.
As long as a mother plant is alive, it will continue to produce pups.
Eventually the mother plant will decline and die, completing the life cycle.

One of the unique qualities of this family of plants is that they leave new plants to replace them, so your collection continues to grow through reproduction – and that is why we like to call them the gift that keeps on giving.
If given good care, your pups should continue to grow and develop for several years before flowering and producing new offsets of their own.

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Air Plant Care

Air Plant Care – TEMPERATURE

Tillandsias like normal room temperatures. This makes them excellent choices for home or office.
If you want to keep them indoors, they will tolerate temperatures from 40 degrees to 95 degrees.

• NOTE: above 87 degrees temperature you want to provide good air circulation (as from fans) and will need to water more frequently.

Since these plants are from the tropics, you must protect them from freezing temperatures by bringing them indoors.

Air Plant Care – HUMIDITY

Tillandsias love high humidity. An excellent location inside your home is close to your bathroom sink, tub or shower. They also do well near a kitchen sink – any source of high humidity. A tabletop fountain, hot tub, pool is a great home for Air Plants, as long as they are not directly in a stream of water.
In these circumstances, your Air Plants become relatively carefree, requiring little or no watering at all.

• NOTE: Never put Air Plants under any type of heat vent, as this will harm them.

Air Plant Care – WATERING

We recommend using rainwater for watering your plants. Tillandsias can be adversely affected by excessive minerals and too high or low PH.
If you aren’t sure about your water or have had problems with other plants traced to poor water, don’t use it on your Air Plants. Use Spring Water – easily purchased at most grocery stores.
There are two acceptable methods for watering these plants.

1. Thoroughly mist them with a spray bottle of water twice weekly.
2. Immerse them in room temperature water for half an hour weekly. This will allow the plant to absorb all the moisture it will require for the next week.

If kept outside, reduce watering to once weekly in cooler months and increase to three times weekly if temperatures go above 87 degrees.

• NOTE: If your plant is in a shell, tip the shell to allow the water out after immersing. If your plant is sitting in moss, remove the plant from the moss before immersing, then return to the moss.

THESE PLANTS MUST NOT SIT IN WATER OR A CONSTANTLY WET MEDIUM, AS THIS WILL CAUSE THEM TO ROT.
If your plant’s leaves begin to curl inward, it is a sign they need watering.
REMEMBER! As with most plants, it is always better to err on the side of caution; over-watering will kill faster than under-watering.

Air Plant Care – FERTILIZATION

As I mentioned earlier, most commercial growers fertilize Air Plants to speed the bloom production and promote quick growth.
For the hobbyist, we recommend a fertilizer (which we sell) with a main component of Ammoniacal Nitrogen, along with some other trace elements. These elements most closely replicate the minerals found in the organic nutrients obtained by these plants in their nature habitats. If you use this formula, feed once monthly.

If you want to feed every two months you can also use a 20-20-20 formula diluted 10 times the strength of the recommended amount on the label. (We sell this fertilizer as well, diluted).

Air Plant Care – LIGHT

All Tillandsias do best in medium to bright light. This can be artificial (such as office lighting or lights in the home) or natural (by placing close to windows or under skylights).
Outside, choose a location that gets bright morning sun, but filtered sun or a shady location in the late afternoon (particularly in the southern regions of the U.S.) It is important to keep these plants away from hot afternoon summer sun.
Many Tillandsias, if receiving bright light, will have leaves that “redden” up – meaning the leaves will actually change from green to beautiful shades of red.

Air Plant Care – LIGHT

As mentioned earlier, Tillandsias in their natural habitat are accustomed to high winds and drenching rains. Good air circulation is essential for the success of these plants.
The circulation a fan provides (particularly before and after watering) will be welcome by your plant. Stale, stagnant air is not good for these plants.

• REMEMBER! The name “Air” means these plants need circulating air to thrive!

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Air Plant Decorative Uses

Tillandsias can be used decoratively in a variety of ways. You are limited only by your imagination and the basic care requirements.
Most of the air plants we sell are mounted on Hypertufa stone. We make this stone and use it as a foundation to make decorative wall hangings and table mounts. We also make Air Plant “Slabs”, a hanging stone slab with cork bark embedded in the stone to serve as a perch for your plant. We often inlay this stone with shells, rocks, driftwood and other decorative items and then add the plants and living mosses to complete the mounts. These make very unique presentations of Air Plants.

Here are more suggestions for displaying your plants:

• Seashells make good mounts for air plants. We offer a suggestion here: Because of the high salt content in shells, it is advisable to attach a piece of cork or wood to the shell, then attach the plant to that, keeping the base of it well away from the shell itself and the danger of the salt eventually killing the plant.
• If you place your plant in a container such as a basket, pot, bowl, vase, etc. put some decorative moss under the plant, to keep the very bottom of the plant (its circulatory system) from being flat on a solid surface, which inhibits its ability to draw any air in from around the base. You do not want to suffocate your plant by denying air getting to the base of the plant.
• If you are going to attach your plant to something, such as driftwood, you may use any silicone glue to attach it. The key to doing this and not harming the plant is to place the glue on the side of the plant, never the bottom, for the same reason as mentioned above. (Walmart doesn’t know this.)
• For attaching larger Tillandsias to wood, you can use chicken wire stapled to the wood, set the plant behind the wire, then cover the wire with moss.
• Pantyhose stapled to wood, then wrapped around the front of the plant also works well for attaching plants. (Cover the hose with moss.)
• If you are putting your plant in a rock with holes in the rock, make sure the bottom of the plant is not in direct contact with the rock.
• We have known customers to hot glue their plants around bathroom mirrors, on picture frames, magnets and fountains.
• One customer suspended his plants from the ceiling with monofilament line, literally making them Air Plants.
• Tillandsias make excellent plants for terrariums, use them as decorations, sitting on moss in the bottom or attached to pieces of wood. They are harmless to amphibians and reptiles and are often used to recreate a tropical and natural habitat for these creatures.
• These plants also make a wonderful accent to tabletop or outdoor fountains. Placement is important here – keep your plants away from the water flow. Anywhere else on the fountain is fine. The humidity they receive will be adequate for them.
• Velcro is another way of using your plant on many surfaces.
• You can also set your plant directly on a shelf, in no container at all!

These are just a few of the ways you can display Air Plants. They are truly versatile for home or office, indoors or out.