Have you heard of air plants? These trendy plants are in the genus Tillandsia and are epiphytes, meaning they grow on other structures such as trees or rocks. They do not absorb nutrients through their roots so they are not parasites. Their roots serve as structural support, helping them stay mounted to whatever they are growing on. You can see the roots in the plant above clinging to a piece of maple heartwood. All I had to do was glue a small piece of jet stone to the base as a counterweight. So how do these plants absorb water and nutrients you ask? Through their leaves! You will notice a fine white fuzz present, especially on the outermost leaves.
Air plants are in the bromeliad family, just like this pineapple plant.
Do you see the resemblance? Probably the best part about air plants is how creative you can get in their displays. You can mount them onto a wooden base or a vertical piece of wood that you can hang on a wall. Fastening them with thin wire will hold it until it naturally takes hold with its own roots. Just don't use copper wire as these plants are allergic to it and will die!
Other display ideas include making a terrarium, a hanging basket, putting the plant in a sea shell, or mounting it a on another plant like a cactus. You can even get creative with hot glue. The possibilities are endless.
Care and Life Cycle
Once you get your air plant, either online or from store, you want to water it. First of all, you want to use rain water. Tap water may be fine for a while but may hurt them in the long run. You may also leave some tap water sitting overnight to let the chemicals dissipate. Some sources will say to soak your plant for an hour. If you go this route, maybe sure you shake the excess water off and, as an extra precaution, leave the plant upside down for a while to let any leftover water to drip off. Tillandsia ionantha, the species focused on in this post, will do just fine if you mist the plant a few times a week.
Light
Keep the plant out of direct sunlight. Direct sun will start to burn the leaves and eventually kill your new little friend.
My newest tender plant couldn't withstand the amount of sun some of my more established plants were getting and suffered. I have since moved it and I think it still has a chance. These plants, native to deserts and high mountains, are pretty hardy.
Fertilizer
Air plants benefit from small amounts of bromeliad fertilizer once a month, dissolved in their water. Orchid foods works too along with any other low copper fertilizer.
If you take care of your air plant, it will continue to grow and eventually bloom!
This is the ultimate sign that your plant is healthy and happy. If you have an ionantha, you will get a hint that it will bloom soon when you see some of the innermost leaves turn red. This is where one of the common names for this type, blushing bride, comes from.
Sometimes you can even get a double or triple bloom!
I heard that plants only bloom once but as you can see, this is the second time mine has flowered.
You may also notice, either before or after blooming, that smaller plants are beginning to grow around the base of your mother plant. These are called "pups".
Pups can be safely removed once they are about half the size of the mother. In this way you get more free plants! Alternatively, you may leave the pups on the mother. No harm will come to the original plant; it's just a preference.
In the future I would like to get more varied air plants. They come in many different shapes and sizes and colors and so do their flowers.
I hope I convinced you to get your own air plant!
Farewell!