how do you care for air plants

• Light. Since air plants are commonly found growing on trees and other large plants below the forest canopy, they are accustomed to receiving bright to medium indirect light.
• Water. Air plants require regular watering in order to thrive indoors. ...
• Temperature and Humidity. One of the most important parts of caring for air plants properly indoors is ensuring that they receive enough moisture and humidity.

Full Answer

How to properly water air plants?

The main things to remember are:

• Water about once every 1 to 2 weeks
• Signs of under watering: dry, brown tips and leaves fanning out
• Signs of over watering: brown or black plant base with leaves that easily fall off

How often do air plants need to be watered?

hOW TO wATER aIR pLANTS

• Myth: Water in the Air is Sufficient. One common myth is that air plants will get all the water they need from the air. ...
• Myth: A Wet Bed for Added Humidity. On the other extreme, just yesterday I was given an air plant from a family friend. ...
• Trichomes. Many people wonder: How do air plants absorb water and nutrients? ...
• Water. ...

When to water air plants?

“The best time of day to water houseplants is in the morning,” says Palomares. “Especially during the hot summer months. This will allow the plant to absorb the water before it gets too hot—which can cause the water to evaporate too quickly—and dark.”

What kind of air is good for air plants?

• Native Area: Mexico, Central America, South America
• USDA Growing Zones: 9–11
• Height: 5–6 inches
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade; does well under fluorescent light

How do you take care of air plants at home?

WaterEvery one to two weeks, soak your air plant in room temperature tap water (or rain/pond water if you can find it) for 5-10 minutes.After soaking gently shake excess water from your plant. ... From the time soaking ends, the plant should be able to dry fully within 3 hours.More items...•

How do you take care of air plants for beginners?

0:2110:00Air Plants for Beginners + Tips! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipCare is bright light and sufficient water. And that's it and you don't want to freeze them either.MoreCare is bright light and sufficient water. And that's it and you don't want to freeze them either. But if they get bright light and sufficient.

How often should I water my air plant?

How often do I water my air plants? Your plants should be watered once per week, and 2-3 times is recommended for optimal care. A longer, 2-hour soak is recommended every 2-3 weeks. If you are in a drier, hotter climate, more frequent watering or misting will be needed.

Where do you put air plants?

Air plants do best with at least a few hours of bright, indirect sun daily. Placement within 1 to 3 feet of an east- or west-facing window, or within a foot or two of an artificial light source is ideal. If you keep them well watered, they can have hotter, more direct sun and longer exposure. Avoid dimly lit locations.

What is the lifespan of an air plant?

between 2 to 5 yearsTillandsias, commonly known as air plants, are perennial plants. This means that they typically live for more than two years (source), with their lifespan ranging between 2 to 5 years. However, their lifespan varies depending on the type of air plant and also the growing conditions.

Do you soak air plants upside down?

It is very important to lay your air plants out on a dish towel on their side or upside down to let them dry completely. This is especially important for the larger species like Xerographica, Streptophylla, and Sparkler. They should be fully dry to the touch within 2 hours after their bath.

Should you mist air plants?

Caring for Your Air Plants Provided the atmosphere is not too dry they can survive with water misting and the occasional bath. Never plant in soil. Give them bright, filtered light. Protect them from frosts.

Do air plants get bigger?

Do Air Plants Grow Bigger? If your air plant is a pup (baby air plant) then it will grow to full size depending on its species. As stated above, air plants range in size from two inches to seven feet so research your variety to find out more about how big it will grow.

How do I know if my air plant is healthy?

To tell if your air plant is healthy, hydration of the plant is crucial to prevent underwatering. Regularly check for discolored leaves or dry or wet rot to tell if the plant is not receiving enough moisture or too much. If an air plant blooms and displays fuzz, this is a sign of good health.

How do you attach air plants to rocks?

Mounting: Airplants can be mounted on a variety of wood, rocks or logs using silicone sealant. Apply a small dab of the silicone on the branch where you would like to mount the plant then seat the plant into the silicone being sure to make firm contact.

Are air plants good in bathrooms?

Air Plant or Tillandsia makes great bathroom plants because they can soak up the humidity. Plus, it's fun to style air plants. Trust us, the possibilities are endless! To keep your air plants happy and healthy, place them in a spot with bright, indirect light and high humidity.

How do you get air plants to bloom?

Submerge entire plant in room temperature water for 5-10 minutes once or twice a week. Let plants drain upside-down on a towel after their bath for at least 3 hours so they are dry to the touch. Fertilize every 2 months with epiphytic/bromeliad/non-urea nitrogen fertilizer for better blooms and daughter growth (pups).

Are air plants easy to take care of?

Air plants are usually tiny, easy to grow, and they don't need soil. As the name implies, air plants absorb nutrients and water from the air through scales on their leaves. They're having a moment as houseplants because they're easy to care for and don't need much light to thrive.

What do air plants need to survive?

While they are called "air plants" as they do not require soil and take their nutrients from the air, they still need water, nutrients, and light to survive. Air Plants are technically epiphytes, meaning that they grow in nature on another tree, host, or object.

How do I know if my air plant is healthy?

To tell if your air plant is healthy, hydration of the plant is crucial to prevent underwatering. Regularly check for discolored leaves or dry or wet rot to tell if the plant is not receiving enough moisture or too much. If an air plant blooms and displays fuzz, this is a sign of good health.

How do I get my air plant to bloom?

Submerge entire plant in room temperature water for 5-10 minutes once or twice a week. Let plants drain upside-down on a towel after their bath for at least 3 hours so they are dry to the touch. Fertilize every 2 months with epiphytic/bromeliad/non-urea nitrogen fertilizer for better blooms and daughter growth (pups).

What to consider when taking care of air plants?

Environment: The first thing to consider when determining air plant care is your environment. While we offer a general list of air plant care tips here, it is critical that you consider your environment when determining things like watering method and frequency. If you live in a drier climate, you might need to water more frequently ...

What temperature do air plants need to be?

Air Plants are found in a wide variety of temperatures, but mainly range from 50-90 degrees Fahrenheit. If you live in an area with freezing conditions, make sure your air plants are safe indoors!

How long does it take for a plant to dry out?

We recommend that you water the plants in the morning, and leave them out of their containers in an area that they can dry within 4 hours.

What are air plants?

While they are called "air plants" as they do not require soil and take their nutrients from the air, they still need water, nutrients, and light to survive. Air Plants are technically epiphytes, meaning that they grow in nature on another tree, host, or object. However, they do not steal nutrients from their host, only using it as a home to grow on. Air plants use tiny vessels located throughout their leaves called trichomes to capture nutrients and moisture from the air.

When do you remove pups from an air plant?

Pups: As your air plant begins to mature and run through its bloom cycle, it will produce babies also known as "pups". You can either remove the pup once it reaches around 1/3 of the size of the mother plant, or you can leave the pups on and they will eventually form a "clump".

Can you use distilled water on air plants?

Bottled water and spring water are also ok to use, but never use distilled or artificially softened water! Remember that each plant variety is different, and will require different watering schedules than others. Never put your air plants in soil, it will harm them!

Can you water an air plant with dehydrated leaves?

A healthy air plant will have wide open leaves while a dehydrated air plant will have closed and curled leaves! Never submerge the bloom or flower, as it can cause the flower to rot. If you are using tap water, let the water stand for several hours to dissipate any chemicals prior to watering the plants.

What are air plants?

Air plants ( Tillandsia spp.) are epiphytes, meaning that in nature they grow on other plants, usually on tree branches. There are hundreds of species and varieties of air plants. They usually have strap-shape or slender triangle-shape leaves that grow in a rosette pattern with new growth appearing from the center. Those with silver foliage tend to be the most drought-tolerant; greener types dry out faster. You can also find colorful species, like Tillandsia maxima that can have coral leaves. Most species produce attractive, tubular or funnel-shaped flowers, too.

What is the shape of an air plant?

There are hundreds of species and varieties of air plants. They usually have strap-shape or slender triangle-shape leaves that grow in a rosette pattern with new growth appearing from the center. Those with silver foliage tend to be the most drought-tolerant; greener types dry out faster.

Can air plants grow in the sun?

As a general rule, keep your air plants out of direct sunlight. Remember, in the wild, many air plant species like to grow up in the sheltered, shady canopy of trees. They will do best if you can put them in a brightly lit spot out of the sun's rays.

Do air plants need water?

Don't let the lack of soil scare you away—air plants are easy to care for once you know what they need. You may not have to worry about potting them, but they do still need a certain amount of water and light, plus the right temperatures, just like any other houseplant.

How to keep air plants moist?

Air plants are tropical, so they enjoy plenty of heat and humidity. Put fresh water into a spray bottle and mist your air plants a little bit each day . Pay attention to your air plant’s leaves, which will curl or roll up if the plant gets dehydrated.

How to trim brown leaves off air plants?

The tips of air plant leaves get brown and dry occasionally. Use pruning shears or scissors to cut the dried tips off at an angle so the leaves continue to have pointed end s. That way, the pruned foliage will blend naturally into the rest of the plant.

How to mount air plants on coral?

Decide where you want to position the air plant on the chosen material, apply a small amount of hot glue to the area, and press the underside of the air plant clump into the glue.

What does dry tips mean on a plant?

That way, the pruned foliage will blend naturally into the rest of the plant. Dry tips could mean that you're underwatering the air plant. Consider misting your plant more often to see if the issue resolves. ...

How long does it take for air plants to grow?

Divide air plants once they begin to reproduce to control growth. Young air plants grow rather slowly. However, after 2-4 years of proper care, growth tends to accelerate rapidly. Baby shoots, also known as pups, will start appearing at the base of the plant.

Do air plants grow in soil?

Air plants, also known as Tillandsia, do not grow in soil. Instead, they survive by pulling nutrients from the air. They make great house plants because they require very little maintenance aside from 4-6 hours of indirect sunlight every day and weekly waterings.

Can you water an air plant upside down?

Letting an air plant dry upside-down allows the water to drip away from the crown of the plant. Otherwise, water might settle into the crown and cause rot. Return the plants to their designated window after they dry completely. Tip: It's best to water air plants with bottled water or filtered tap water.

No soil? No problem!

Cori Sears specializes in houseplants and houseplant care. For more than 10 years, she's been on a mission to transform her urban apartment into an indoor jungle. She's been a contributing writer for The Spruce since 2019.

Air Plant Care

There are a few general rules when it comes to care that can be followed for any air plant.

Do Air Plants Need Soil?

The defining quality of air plants, or epiphytes, is that they do not require soil in order to survive. However, some air plants such as staghorn ferns, birds nest ferns, some species of moss, and some species of philodendron (among others) can adapt to grow in soil, although they require extremely arid, well-draining mixes in order to survive.

Displaying Your Air Plant

Since these plants do not require soil, there are lots of fun and creative ways to display your air plant around your home. They can be mounted on another medium such as a piece of driftwood, a rock, or a wood board; displayed in a terrarium; hung from the ceiling or a curtain rod; or set inside a dedicated air plant holder or planter.

Types of Air Plants

There are hundreds, if not thousands of plants that can be classified as air plants, or epiphytes, from multiple different plant families. The following are some of the most popular and well-known types of air plants.

Propagating Air Plants

Since the term “air plant” covers a wide variety of plants, there are a few ways that air plants are commonly propagated. Most of the time, epiphytic plants propagate most readily through division of pups from the "mother plant," however some species, such as the tropical cacti, can also be propagated by stem cuttings.

Common Problems With Air Plants

The most common problems encountered when growing air plants indoors are usually related to improper watering or humidity conditions. Identifying the issue early is key to saving your plant before it’s too late!

Indoor gardening doesn't get much easier than this. Learn how to grow soilless air plant at home

There’s an ideal houseplant for people who are averse to dirt, as most air plants don’t require any soil. Since they absorb water and nutrients through their foliage rather than their roots, they can be positioned wherever their owner prefers without a speck of soil in sight.

Air Plant Care at a Glance

Common Name: Air plant, sky plant Scientific Name: Tillandsia spp. Soil: None, or orchid mix Light: Varies by species Water: Spray, soak, dunk, or mist Food: Bromeliad plant food or low-nitrogen fertilizer Temperature and Humidity: 50 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit Propagation: Offsets Safety: Nontoxic

Air Plant Characteristics

Most Tillandsia species grow in rosettes somewhat resembling spiky grass clumps or sea urchins. However, some air plants, such as the Spanish moss that drapes over tree branches in the South, have a more wiry and dangly appearance. Their flowers vary from the “tiled” pink paddles of T. cyanea and T.

Types of Air Plants

Tillandsia cyanea: This plant makes a rosette of thin green leaves about 16 inches wide, from which rises a 6-inch-tall paddle-shaped collection of pink bracts with pansy-like periwinkle blooms protruding from its sides.

Selecting Soil for Air Plants

How do air plants grow without soil? As mentioned above, these amazing little houseplants typically don’t require soil since the trichomes on their foliage absorb all the moisture and nutrients they need. However, the so-called “paddle” types like T. cyanea and T.

The Right Light

Care for air plants varies based on whether they are rainforest or desert species. The thin-leaved green rainforest types prefer partial sun, filtered sun, or bright indirect light. Meanwhile, thick-leaved silver desert varieties might be able to tolerate full sun.

Watering Air Plants

Because they require little other care, the question of how to grow air plants largely centers around watering. You can spray your Tillandsia heavily a couple of times per week, preferably with room-temperature rainwater or spring water, each of which can supply nutrients, too.

What are air plants?

Botanically known as Tillandsias, air plants are epiphytes. That means that in nature these plants grow on other plants or cling to trees, according to Pop AnnMarie Chan, plant expert and owner of WLYDBNCH.

How do you care for air plants?

Because they are commonly referred to as air plants, Nancy Gallagher, a horticulturist and design and marketing specialist at Westerlay Orchids, says people tend to mistakenly think that Tillandsias survive on air. That's not the case, and these types of plants still need water.

What are air plants' light needs?

Tillandsias tend to grow in full sun in the wild, which is why Gallagher says they need to be somewhere that will provide bright light. "A southern or western exposure is fine for them," she says. But, don't worry if your home doesn't have a lot of naturally bright spaces, Chan says you can create your own.

How do I water an air plant?

The first option is to mist your plant. You use a spray bottle and mist the entire plant and container the plant lives in. You’ll need to do this daily to ensure your plants have enough water. The next option is to submerge the plant in water for a shorter period.

How long can you leave an air plant in water?

When you do this, you fill up your sink with water and place the air plant inside of it. You can leave the plant for at least an hour, if not more. The great thing about air plants is you can’t overwater them.

How often should I fertilize my air plants?

You should fertilize once a month and follow the instructions on the packet. However, if you choose to water your air plants by submerging them in water for a more extended period once a week, you can add the fertilizer to the watering session one time per month. The plant will absorb both water and nutrients at once.

How many times does an air plant flower?

An air plant will flower one time in its life. After this flowering occurs, the plant will usually produce a pup plant. You don’t have to remove the pup from the original plant. If you don’t, the plant will begin to mound and create a beautiful, larger plant.

Why are air plants unique?

This plant is unique because, in its usual climate, the plant can survive by what it gathers in the air. Air plants don’t use their roots to gather nutrients and water as most other plants do. Instead, the roots allow them to suction themselves to different surfaces.

How to display air plants?

There are many ways to display air plants. You can place them in a glass container, wire hanging basket, inside a shell, or on a piece of old wood. If you have a stone or brick wall you’d like to decorate, you can glue the roots to the surface for the plant to be able to grow there.

Why do you need distilled water for air plants?

If you have city water, you’ll need to purchase distilled water to care for your air plant. The reason being, the chemicals in city water can harm the plant. If you have hard water, there’s chalk in it. This chalk can clog the scales of the air plant which means the plant can’t take in any necessary nutrients.

How to keep air plants healthy?

Provide good air circulation. Ensure that your air plants have airflow, but do not place them under heating or air conditioning vents. Ensure that your air plants get ultraviolet light. Either hang your air plants in a window or use an artificial light that produces UV rays. Fertilize occasionally.

How do I propagate an air plant?

Propagate your air plants. Air plants reproduce by creating offsets or pups —small plants that grow from the base of the mother plant. Moisten both the mother plant and offsets before separating, then gently remove the small air plants.

What are air plants?

Air plants are epiphytes, which are plants that grow on the surface of other plants and extract moisture from air, rain, and standing water instead of the soil. Epiphytes include everything from Spanish moss to orchids to trichomes, but when home gardeners refer to air plants, they are generally speaking of small indoor plants such as Tillandsia ...

Where are air plants native to?

They are native to the rainforests of Mexico, Central America and South America, and parts of the southern United States like Florida. Air plants are epiphytes, which are plants ...

Do air plants need water?

Air plants are low-maintenance since they live without soil and store excess water in their leaves, much like succulents. This makes air plants popular with DIY home decorators. To grow air plants in your own home, consider the following air plant care tips:

Do air plants need direct sunlight?

When it comes to direct sunlight, different species of air plants have different needs. Plants that naturally grow out in the open thrive on the bright light that comes from direct sun. For plants native to dense rainforests, indirect light may be more appropriate than full sun.

Can you grow air plants in pots?

Since air plants don’t require soil, you don’t have to grow them in traditional pots. Instead, consider purchasing hanging wire planters or pendants for your air plants. The Tillandsia xerographica air plant, which naturally grows in tree tops, can thrive hanging indoors. Grow air plants in terrariums.