Roots: Air plants anchor themselves to objects by their roots and need to be attached to something in order to grow.
Air plants look great all on their own or in groups where you can display several varieties together. They can be placed in terrariums or attached to anything from magnets to driftwood for creating your own interesting displays—just use a bit of hot glue or translucent fishing line to secure them.
Air plants don't grow in soil. They only attach themselves to various surfaces like bushes, leaves, trees, rocks, and shrubs. Air plants are super versatile as they are soil-free - You can put them anywhere with proper indirect sunlight and airflow.
Air plants can be fixed using a variety of methods. The cleanest is to tie them on using a fine clear thread, although this method is a bit fiddly. The most common method is to use an air plant fixative glue. It's important to ensure that the glue doesn't cover the rooting zone of the plants at their base.
No potting soil is needed. The air plant can be placed in hanging glass globes or shells. Any small shallow container will work, or you can attach the plant to a wall hanging. Make sure the container you choose does not retain water, as air plants may rot if they aren't allowed to dry off.
A windowsill or coffee table is a great option for displaying air plants, but placing them in glass terrariums makes the plants a focal point in any room.
For the base, you can use preserved reindeer moss, decorative sand, small rocks, seashells, bark, marbles, etc. The possibilities are endless when it comes to colors and textures of sand and rock for terrariums so have fun with it! You don't need soil for your air plants to thrive, so no need to include it here.
Air plants will quickly rot if they are allowed to stand in excess water. From the time soaking ends, the plant should be able to dry fully within 3 hours. If your plant stays wet longer than this, it may rot.
A light application of water, such as misting, will not fully absorb through the plant's leaves and the water will most likely evaporate before it can nourish the plant. A deeper, more thorough method of dunking or soaking is recommended for most plants every week to ten days to ensure proper hydration.
Do not be too worried about PH levels. Good clean water will be fine. The second most important part of watering your air plants is properly drying them afterwards. It is very important to lay your air plants out on a dish towel on their side or upside down to let them dry completely.
Tillandsia are always happiest with some fresh air circulation and the nutrients from air. While Tillandsia can survive indoors, they will be happiest by an open window. The movement of air over their leaves is vital to their long term health, which is why display options restricting this should always be avoided.
Air plants are great for the bathroom because they can soak up the humidity right from your showers and baths. Plus, they give you more room for creativity when it comes to display, since they don't need planters or potting mix.
Tillandsias, commonly known as air plants, are perennial plants. This means that they typically live for more than two years (source), with their lifespan ranging between 2 to 5 years. However, their lifespan varies depending on the type of air plant and also the growing conditions.
While they are called "air plants" as they do not require soil and take their nutrients from the air, they still need water, nutrients, and light to survive. Air Plants are technically epiphytes, meaning that they grow in nature on another tree, host, or object.
The bottom line when it comes to watering air plants is to soak the leaves every week to 10 days.
A good rule to follow is most air plants that have an abundance of trichomes (xeric plants) should often be dunked or misted, while plants with bright green leaves and less trichomes (mesic plants) prefer to be soaked once a week.
Air plants are usually tiny, easy to grow, and they don't need soil. As the name implies, air plants absorb nutrients and water from the air through scales on their leaves. They're having a moment as houseplants because they're easy to care for and don't need much light to thrive.
Air plant varieties range in size from two inches to seven feet. The varieties that are frequently found in stores are typically two to five inches in size. There are varieties that bloom flowers but this usually signals that the plant is near the end of its life cycle.
The only downside comes if you live in a dry climate and your apartment's humidity level is hard to maintain. Air plants need high humidity (think more than 50 percent), so if your apartment goes below that, they won't be a good fit for your household.
An air plant will not grow in soil. Don't even try it. Above: Photograph by John Merkl. Tillandsias are epiphytes, which means that in nature air plants grow on other plants—clinging to tree trunks, for instance—rather than by rooting in the ground.
A healthy air plant with plenty of water will usually have wider, flatter leaves. For those air plants with visible trichomes (those fuzzy white things on the outside of their leaves) they should appear “extra fuzzy.”
Some air plant species have naturally brown bases/leaves at the bottom such as the Juncea or Melanocrater Tricolor, but if you see browning at the base of your Xerographica or Ionantha, this can indicate an issue such as rot. The base of an air plant should feel firm when you squeeze it.
Air plants do best with at least a few hours of bright, indirect sun daily. Placement within 1 to 3 feet of an east- or west-facing window, or within a foot or two of an artificial light source is ideal. If you keep them well watered, they can have hotter, more direct sun and longer exposure. Avoid dimly lit locations.