Description

Tillandsias, more commonly known as “air plants”, are one of the easiest to care for indoor house plants. As a nice side perk, they are also very fun to raise. Read the 5 tips below and in no time you can make your air plants thrive under your care.

Air Plant Care Guide

5 tips on caring for your air plant

1. Air plants need more than just air
Tillandsias, or more commonly known as “air plants”, need more than just air despite its name.
Just like any other house plant, air plants need water and light to thrive. What makes air plants so unique is that they can grow without any soil. Display your air plant on a piece of driftwood or hang up your air plant on a macrame! There is no need to pot it and put your air plants in soil. Your air plants will thrive with some bright, indirect natural light or fluorescent light. Air plants only need to be soaked once a week for about 30 minutes.
2. Give your air plants a good soak
Make sure the entire plant is submerged in water when you soak an air plant. Air plants are covered with special plant cells called “trichromes”. These trichromes help air plants absorb water through the surface of the plant. So make sure you wet the entire air plant and not just the root area. We typically recommend soaking for 30 minutes at a time. It is also a great idea to soak your air plant overnight if your air plant is very dry. Shipping air plants can dry out the plant faster than usual. You can always soak your air plants overnight (12 hours or more) in a bowl of water as soon as you receive your air plants in mail.
3. Dry your air plants thoroughly
Be sure to let your air plants dry completely after each watering. Keeping the air plants wet is a one of the most common cause of root rot, which kills air plants. As much as air plants love water, air plants need to dry quickly (within 4 hours of watering) after each soak. If your air plants do not dry properly the bottom of the air plant would often turn dark brown and soon the whole plant would wither and fall apart. These are signs of root rot. Root rot is a common cause of air plant death. A constantly wet air plant often circum to fungus attacks or root rot, which does irreversible harm to the air plant. Gently shake off any extra water after each soaking. Dry your air plant somewhere with good air circulation. And don’t let your air plants sit in a puddle of water or have water trapped in between the leaves when it dries.
4. Indirect bright light is best for air plants
Air plants love indirect bright light. Display your air plant somewhere near a window if you have natural light coming from the outside. You can also keep your air plants under some shade if you grow it outdoor. Fluorescent lighting works just as well for growing air plants if you are in an enclosed office or space. Most air plants do well with very bright but not direct light. Exposing your air plant to direct sunlight can burn the air plant or dehydrate your air plant excessively.
5. Keep your air plants warm in winter
Air plants are very hardy in general but they do have to be kept warm in the cold seasons. Protect your air plants from freezing temperature by bringing them indoor during winter. The ideal temperature for air plants is between 50-80 °F. Be sure to add a heat pack when shipping air plants in the colder months. While you can trim off some frozen parts of an air plant, severely frostbitten air plants can not be saved. Wire stand and other accessories sold separately.