Create a miniature winter garden with ethereal air plantsno soil required!
Laurey W. Glenn
In the wild, air plants (Tillandsiaspp.)
grow on trees and rocks, absorbing moisture and nutrients through their leaves rather than the soil.
Credit:Laurey W. Glenn
Foliage can be fine-textured or thick and comes in greens, silvers, pinks, and reds.
Leaves often blush before small flowers appear.
Xeric air plants are usually bluish, silver, or gray-green in color, and sometimes have hairy leaves.
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They can tolerate drier conditions and a bit more sun than mesic plants.
Mesic air plants have glossy or waxy leaves.
We’ll tell you the differences in how to care for them.
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Give your plant as much light as possible without letting direct sunlight hit the leaves and dry them out.
Many air plants also will be happy with a bit of dappled sunlight filtered through a tree canopy.
A few of the xeric air plants, like the adorably fuzzyT.
tectorum, can handle a bit more direct sunlight.
Water
Soak air plants in water for 30 minutes once a week and shake off any excess.
Set them out to dry for a couple of hours before placing them back in their usual home.
Put them upside down or on their sides while drying.
If leaves begin to wrinkle in between waterings, mist them with a spray bottle.
Frequent misting is especially appreciated by glossy, mesic air plants.
Air plants love being doused in rainwater or fresh water, but unfiltered city water works fine.
If you live in the desert, even a xeric plant may appreciate misting.
But most air plants prefer mild weather that is between 65F and 85F.
Use a spray fertilizer that is formulated for bromeliads and air plants.
Each plant produces just one long-lived bloom, then begins growing one or more pups at its base.
Normally, the pups remain attached for months or even years until the mother plant dies.
Select different textures and colors to add a lot of interest in one spot.
Place the bowl near a window or sink to allow for easy watering.
you’re able to even use a bell jar to cover the bowl.
This shows off your handiwork and also increases the humidity, which tropical types will appreciate.
Be careful if combining xeric and mesic air plants, though, as they prefer slight different growing conditions.
Overwintering
Most air plants should spend winters indoors.
Bring your air plant indoors if the temperature will drop below 50.
Avoid placing plants near drafts and heating vents.
A black, sooty mold can also appear on leaves.
Scale insects look like tiny bumps or shells and can cause the leaves to yellow and fall apart.
Separate an infested air plant from others and soak it in water to eliminate as many insects as possible.
Monthly fertilizing and a couple of hours of direct sun each morning or evening will help to encourage blooming.
Air plants usually produce pups around the base before dying.
Often underwatering is the culprit, but sometimes the opposite is true.
At that point, there’s not much you might do.
But if you catch the rot earlier, there are steps you might take to save the plant.
Wait a week, submerge your plant upside down when watering, and then allow it to dry completely.
If you have a xeric plant, increase the time between waterings or switch to misting every few days.
Water early in the day rather than at night.
If necessary, move the plant to a spot with better ventilation and light.
