How to Care for Air Plants

I have made a real effort in the past year to incorporate more plants into our home. So, when I came across a selection of sweet little air plants at my local hardware store, I couldn’t resist. They are so unique and the ability of these plants to thrive without soil is endearing. The last time I had an air plant in my care, I have to admit that it ended badly… for the plant. I hadn’t done any research on what my plant required and as a result I didn’t give it the care that it needed. However, I’ve since discovered that air plants are easy to care for when you understand their basic needs. I created this post, How to Care for Air Plants, to provide you with the information needed to keep these plants happy. And if you didn’t know what air plants were before reading this post, then I’m happy to have introduced you to these beautiful, unique plants.

What are Air Plants?

Air plants are from the Tillandsia genus and are called air plants because they don’t require any soil. These plants originate in the forests, mountains and deserts of South and Central America. In their natural habitat, they grow on other plants and tree branches. Air plants flower once in their life with blossoms lasting for a few days to a few months. Air plants are typically quite small, from about one inch to several inches in size. They come in a variety of forms, from little sprouting fountains, to long, slim, twisting leaves.

How to Care for Air Plants

Light Requirements

Air plants need bright, indirect light. If you have a room with a southern or eastern facing window, this is the perfect space for an air plant to thrive. A room with a northern exposure could also work if you place your plant close to the window. A western facing window location might be too intense, so place air plants away from the window. Rooms with higher humidity will allow air plants to tolerate greater light levels. A bright bathroom where there are frequent showers is an ideal location for air plants. If you place your air plant in a very bright room that doesn’t have a high humidity, it will need to be watered more frequently. Air plants can also thrive in artificial light if it is full spectrum light and the plant is in close proximity. These plants require twelve hours of light per day in order to thrive.

Water

Air plants require regular watering to remain healthy. Since these plants have no soil and are not potted, they require a different method of watering from most plants. There are two ways to provide water to air plants.

Soaking

Soaking (also known as dunking) is the first method for watering air plants, and the one that I use. To do this, soak your air plants in a bowl of room temperature water for one to two hours. After soaking, gently shake off the excess water. Then, place the plants on a towel in a bright space. Place the root side up so that it can adequately dry within a couple of hours, thus preventing rot. The frequency of watering will vary depending on the light, temperature, and humidity of your home. Unless you keep them in a humid greenhouse or bathroom, they will likely require watering every week. Our home is fairly dry and soaking them once a week seems to keep them happy. On the one occasion I let it go more than a week, my smaller air plants starting looking a little crispy. Thankfully, they perk up after a long soak. Water in the morning in order to give them a chance to dry in the sunlight and to avoid interrupting the plant’s natural respiration process that occurs at night time.

Misting

The second method of watering that works for air plants is misting. Use a spray bottle to gently mist the plants with room temperature water. Misting should be done at least weekly, and perhaps more frequently if your plants are in a sunny, warm, and/or low-humidity setting.

I have tried misting and I find that in our dry home, the plants need to be misted more than once per week. I also find misting to be challenging because I display my air plants on surfaces that I don’t want to be misted in water (like on my wood open shelves or on a book). If I’m going to be removing my plants from where they are normally displayed then I might as well make the effort to soak them. Personally, I find that soaking does a better job of perking up these plants.

Temperature

Air plants are very forgiving with respect to air temperature. They are comfortable with temperatures of 50-90 degrees F or about 10-30 degrees C. Air plants do prefer night time temperatures that are about ten degrees cooler than daytime temperatures.

Fertilizer

To encourage your air plants to blossom and reproduce, you can incorporate a Bromeliad fertilizer into the water you give your air plants. Follow the directions on the fertilizer packaging and incorporate this into your watering regimen monthly.

Air Plant Babies

Around the same time that air plants flower, air plant “pups” will begin to develop alongside their mother. Pups can be separated from their mother once they are at least a third of the size of their mother.   

Displaying Air Plants

Vases or Vessels

Air plants can be displayed in vases or vessels or any container that allows for the circulation of air around the plant. I use little glass vases and beakers and brass geometric sculptures that I created. The vessel you use gives the air plants a greater presence and helps to highlight their beauty.

Terrariums and Aeriums

Terrariums and Aeriums are enclosed containers, often made of glass than can be use to create a microclimate for your air plants. They trap moisture and intensify sunlight creating an environment that is ideal for air plants. Aeriums are terrariums specifically designed to house air plants. I use a terrarium for some of my air plants. It’s a nice way to group several different plants together, especially the smaller varieties.

Mounted Air Plants

Mounted air plants are those affixed to a surface, such as a natural mineral or sculpture. They are usually affixed with a plant-safe adhesive and cannot be removed for watering. These air plants will need to be misted regularly, most likely bi-weekly. Mounted air plants are a refined and beautiful way to display air plants.

Where to Purchase Air Plants

Air plants can be purchased from garden centers, florists, big box hardware stores, small nurseries, and from online growers. If you order online, make sure that the outdoor conditions are suitable for plant transport (i.e. in the temperature range of 50-90 degrees F/10-30 degrees C). Etsy is a great place to purchase air plants online.

Summary

Air plants are beautiful unique plants that are easy to care for. They never need repotting which is a huge bonus! Children especially appreciate the unique nature of these little plants. I hope you have learned a little about how to care for air plants. Happy house planting!

Looking for more about plants? Check out my post, 6 Indoor Plants Perfect for Farmhouse Decor.