Air Plants are known to be low maintenance and easy to care for. While this is true, there is the danger that one might think these plants only needs air to survive. That would be too easy. Just putting your air plant on a shelf and forgetting about it, will quickly lead to a shriveled and dried up air plant. And who wants that?
All you need to do is give your air plant a little special attention for it to grow and thrive, which is what we're going to cover in this article!
There are approximately 650 known species of Tillandsia, native to Mexico, central & South America, and some Caribbean islands. Air plants are easy because they don't need to be planted in soil (they don't have roots) and absorb their nutrients and moisture from the air using their leaves.
There are unlimited ways you can display your air plants but the main thing to remember is to make sure they have proper light and good air circulation.
Light Requirements
Air plants do best in bright, indirect light. Some direct morning sun is ok, but we recommend avoiding the afternoon heat (especially during the summer months in Canada).
When your air plant gets too much sun, the leaves can dry out or suffer from sunburn. On the other hand, when your air plants don't get enough light, they will slow their growth and their leaves will be lackluster in color.
How to Water Your Air Plants
The number one reason air plants don’t survive indoors is that they are not getting sufficient water. Even if you’re misting them weekly, you will find that most air plants will still dry out.
Here's how to keep them happy with water:
Submerge your air plant in a bowl of water every 7-10 days (preferably rainwater, or distilled).
After about 30 minutes, remove your air plant from the bowl and carefully shake off excess water.
Place upside-down on a paper towel until it is completely dry.
The reason we dry Tillandsia species upside down is to prevent crown rot (the equivalent to root rot) which will certainly kill a plant. You might need to soak your air plants twice a week when you have very dry air, mainly during winter. The best thing is to pay attention to your plant to determine when it’s time for a bath. Does the air plant look dull? Does it feel dry?
Your air plant will thank you and immediately turn a more vivid color and look fresh again.
How to Care for a large air plant (Tillandsia xerographica)
With its impressive size and unique shape, the Tillandsia xerographicais a true statement piece. Caring for a large air plant is similar to caring for the smaller Tillandsias.
Good air circulation and completely drying out after watering is even more crucial with a large size air plant. More spaces for water to settle and start rot.
A large air plant will tighten and curl up more when it wants water, and hang more loosely when it’s hydrated.
In general, these air plants need a little less water than the smaller air plants. A good dunk should be enough.
Blooming Flowers on an Air Plant
When Tillandsia are happy and well cared for you may be lucky enough to have a blooming air plant! Large or small, make sure the blooms don’t get wet when you water. The bract, or the flower stalk, can last several months, the actual flowers are open for a few days. Make them last longer by keeping them dry.
When the flowers have finished blooming and the bract starts to dry up, you can remove the entire stalk by carefully cutting it off at the base.
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