In this article, I will talk about the care features of soilless air plants (air plants, other common family names Tillandsia). Due to their large number of species, air plants are among the most beloved creatures for plant collections.
Basic Features of Air Plants:
When we say Air Plant, we are actually talking about the Tillandsia genus, which has about 630 different species native to Mexico, Central and South America. All Tillandsia are a type of Bromeliad, but not all Bromeliad species are Tillandsia (Air Plant). In short; Bromeliad is a family, while Tillandsia is a genus.
Due to their unusual lifestyle, air plants have taken their place among the rising plant trends in recent years. Air plants, which live without soil and by settling on other plants, use their roots only to hold on. Contrary to popular belief, air plants are not parasitic creatures that get food from the other plant they are attached to. In botany, these types of plants are called epiphytic plants. Orchids can be an example of epiphytic plants, which, like air plants, use the plants they live on only as hosts. We can say that air plants are living creatures that live in your living room all the time but cook their own food. 🙂
So where do air plants get the nutrients they need? Air plants use their roots only to hold on, and they get the moisture and nutrients they need for life through their leaves. For this reason, you don't need anything to feed an air plant, and you can even change the location of your air plant frequently to provide the appropriate light it needs.
Trichome: The Secret of the Free Spirit
If you look very carefully, you can see the tiny hairs, or trichomes, that are common to all Tillandsia species. Trichomes vary depending on the climate and type of air plant. The trichomes of air plants (xerophytes) living in dry areas are completely different from the hairs of air plants (mesopythes) living in wet climates. While the trichomes are very visible in Tillandsia Tectorum, they are harder to see with the naked eye in Tillandsia Ionantha. Air plants get the nutrients and moisture they need through trichomes.
Flowering: Air Plants Are Selfless Mothers
The blooming time of your air plant and the duration of the flower vary depending on the type of air plant. In their natural climates, they prefer calmer seasons for flowering so that their seeds are not scattered by rain. For this reason, it is difficult to understand when Tillandsias that are kept at home will bloom. Tillandsias, like other members of the Bromeliad family, bloom only once in their lives (monocarpic) and say goodbye to life. 🙁 After the air plant flower dies, 1 or more offspring begin to appear from the root. When the offspring are able to care for themselves, the devoted mother air plant ends her own life. The mother air plant dies gradually.
Air Plant Care:
-Watering
The main cause of death for air plants is unfortunately incorrect watering, although it is very easy. You can water your air plant by wetting it with the misting method or by immersing it in water. Spraying water with misting is not the ideal method, but in cases where it is difficult to move the air plant (if your air plant is very large or its roots are very tightly held), you can use the water spraying method. If your air plant is a soft-leafed species, this indicates that your air plant belongs to a wetland. If the water spraying method is to be used for airplants originating from wetlands, it should definitely be done every day. For air plants originating from arid regions (these air plants have harder leaves and are pale in color), the water spraying method should be done every 2-3 days. When watering your air plant with the misting method, you should be careful to make sure that every part of it (except the flower, if any) is wet. Another airplant watering method, immersion in water, is economical in terms of time since it is done at less frequent intervals. The entire air plant is immersed in water and kept in water for about 2 hours. Then, you should hold the air plant upside down and make sure that the remaining water between the leaves is drained. The biggest mistake in air plant care is not drying it properly after watering. Regardless of your watering method, do not forget to dry your air plant completely within 4 hours at most and remove the water from the inside by holding it upside down for a while. The most effective way to speed up the drying of the air plant is to keep it outdoors for a few hours. The drying method should definitely be natural. Therefore, the first thing that comes to mind is not a good idea to use a hair dryer :) You choose the morning hours for your air plant watering routine, the air plant will dry easily in the midday heat. As with all other plants, the water needs of air plants are higher in the summer months, so watering frequency should be increased and should be applied less frequently in the summer months.
If you are not sure if your air plant needs water, you can pull one of the tiny leaves near the root of the air plant. If the leaves of the air plant come easily to your hand, it does not need water yet, but if the leaves are tight, it is time to water. I recommend using this method when you are really unsure. Otherwise, the leaves of an air plant that needs water will become pale and you will notice small color changes at the leaf tips when you look carefully.
When watering your air plant, you can use distilled tap water, aquarium water or drinking water. If the tap water in your area is very calcareous, you should prefer drinking water as the lime content in the water can damage the trichomes.
-Temperature:
The ideal temperature for air plants is 10°C – 35°C. Based on my personal experience, I can say that most air plant species are resistant to cold. Therefore, your air plant will enjoy it if you host it on the balcony, especially in the summer months. Air plants kept in office environments should be kept away from direct air conditioning.
-Light:
Air plants need lots of light, but like many plants, they don't prefer direct sunlight. If you're planning on putting them in a room that doesn't get any sunlight at all, you're not likely to be an air plant parent at this point.
-Humidity and Breeze:
Tillandsias’ favorite months are the months when the humidity is high. On very hot summer days, you can mist them from a distance to cool them down. It should not be forgotten that watering and humidifying are not the same thing. Cooling the air plant is not a small gesture that you can make instead of watering, and you should not break your watering routine in addition to humidifying.
-Fertilizer:
You can get liquid fertilizers produced for the Bromeliad family, which are used to help air plants grow and bloom. If you cannot access this liquid fertilizer, 1 capful of orchid food added to 1 liter of water will do the trick. If your air plant likes the environment it is in, it will show its flowers after a few drops of liquid fertilizer water. You can contact us for liquid air plant fertilizer and you can get orchid nutrients from DIY stores.
-Pruning:
The leaves at the base of Tillandsias often rot or dry out. This is part of the air plant's life cycle. The air plant's completely rotted leaves will come out when you gently tug on them. If there are leaves that are not completely rotted but still bother you, you can cut them off with a pair of fine scissors.
-Propagation:
The flowering of air plants is an indication that they are pregnant. After the flower dies, you will see the baby or babies at the root of the air plant. When the babies reach a certain maturity, the mother will kill herself. In this case, you should carefully separate the baby air plants from the mother and continue their care separately.
-Air Plant Diseases:
Tillandsias do not get sick easily. Color change, drying out, rotting, etc. mostly occur due to improper care. Very rarely, fungus may appear inside the air plant in dark environments. Don't forget to check the inside of the air plant you buy first.
-Presentation:
If you choose to use an object to display your air plants, make sure the material of the object will not harm your air plant. For example, metals that can rust will damage your air plant. You can view our copper and brass air plant stands here.
Frequently Asked Questions About Air Plant:
1- How can I find out the type of my air plant?
You can search for Tillandsia species and match them with similar images, or you can ask us by sending a photo to our @cocodemaplants Instagram account.
2- How long is the lifespan of air plants?
Air plants have an average lifespan of 2 years, but since they usually produce more than one offspring after flowering, they will continue to be guests in your home by changing forms as long as you take good care of them.
3- My air plant is about to dry out due to lack of water, what should I do?
Do not throw away your air plant before it is completely dry. First, soak your air plant in water for 5-6 hours. Repeat this process 3 times with 2 days intervals and then return to your normal watering routine. Your air plant is likely to survive with this method.
4- Will my air plant die from overwatering?
It won't die. The trichomes, which are the water-taking hairs of air plants, close when they get enough water. You can only kill your air plant by rotting it if you don't dry it well after watering.
5- I'm going on vacation. Should I take my air plant with me?
If your vacation is less than 1 month, do not take the risk of damaging your air plant by carrying it with you. 2 days before you go, put your air plant in water and wait for 3 hours. Repeat the same process 12 hours before your trip. When you return, apply the treatment that is the answer to Question 3 to your air plant. It would be better not to take this risk on summer days when the temperature is high.
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