air plant care guide
Oh how I love Tillandsia air plants! With such a wide variety of shapes, sizes and color and their ease of care they are the perfect plant for anyone to enjoy!
Air Plants
Tillandsia
Better known as air plants, they’re one of my favorite plants to keep around! They are considered a member of the epiphyte family and grow in the nooks of trees in parts of North America and in Central and South America. They earned their nicknames because they don’t require soil to grow. Rather they get their nutrients through the moisture in the air. They’re the perfect plant for both beginners and botanists alike to care for and are my top recommended plant for placing in our mini hanging pots.
There was a time where one of my jobs required me to take care of over 400+ air plants!
care instructions
Light Air plants will do best in medium-bright indirect light. As long as they aren’t getting hit by super strong direct sun light during summer (they can/will burn!) and don’t live in a dark room, they’ll be happy.
Water There are several ways to successfully water your air plants but I’ve personally found that giving them a bath has been the best way to keep them healthy, thriving, and hydrated. First fill a large bowl, kitchen sink, or even a bath tub (depending on how many you have) with water. Then drop them in and set a timer for 15 minutes. Sometimes I’ll stir them gently to make sure they’ve all been fully submerged but other than that, that’s it! The frequency of watering is what really comes into play when having perfectly hydrated air plants. Depending on what the weather is like, where you live and what kind of light these little cuties are getting; these are all factors that will determine how often you’ll need to soak them. A rule of thumb for me is to water them weekly during warmer months where they’re getting much brighter sun for longer periods of time. I live in Portland where the winters are very cloudy and gloomy, which means less sun for air plants and less photosynthesizing occurs. During the colder winter months I’ll back off on watering and soak them once every 2-3 weeks.
Once your 15 minute timer has gone off, you’ll air dry them upside down. This ensures that water doesn’t get lodged inside the innermost part of the plant which could lead to rot and kill your little green friend. So be sure to lay down either a kitchen towel or beach towel and let them air dry. I’ll let them do this for hours and sometimes leave them upside down overnight just to ensure they’ve fully dried.
Overachiever: To encourage growth with your air plants (or to encourage blooms) you can feed them with an indoor plant fertilizer (10-10-10) by putting liquid fertilizer in their water bath, but only during warmer weather months.
I hope these care instructions give you the confidence to take care of your air plants. It all starts with learning what each individual plant needs, and some varieties may not like the weekly bath, so experiment and be patient with yourself and your plants. Learning your how to care for your plants is the best part of plant ownership and once you know what to give them, you’ll see growth in no time! Questions on air plant care? Success stories with blooms? Comment below!