What Are Air Plants and How Do They Grow?

Relatively easy to grow and maintain, air plants are a great choice for those not endowed with a green thumb. They don’t require soil or even containers, just sun, water and a supportive spot to hang out. Valued for their low maintenance care needs and striking appearance, air plants have become a favorite among novice and experienced gardeners.

Ahead, find experts tips and advice to grow your own air plants with Tina Huffman from Greenhouse Studio and Jarrod Bouchie from Pistils Nursery.

What Are Air Plants?

Air plants, or Tillandsia, grow floating in the air, where they live and thrive without soil. Part of the Bromeliad family, air plants do not have traditional roots; instead, they absorb moisture and nutrients through their leaves. “Air plants uptake water and nutrients via trichomes, which are the raised hair or scale-like structures that cover the surfaces of their leaves,” Huffman says.

There are more than 600 air plant species of various shapes, sizes, forms and colors.

Do air plants bloom?

Endowed with some strange attributes, air plants bloom only once in their lifetime, which signals their life cycle peak. “The plant has a beautiful flower display then grows many plants with all of its remaining energy,” Bouchie says.

Right around bloom time, air plants produce offsets, the plant’s offspring, or “pups.” These little babies — clones of their parent — begin as tiny nodes at the bottom of the plant.

How large do air plants get?

Air plants come in all sizes, according to Bouchie, from a few centimeters to up to seven feet long. “There is no ‘typical’ size of air plants,” he says, but most domestic varieties will stay within two to 12 inches long.

How long do air plants live?

Air plants generally live from one to fifteen years. “Each [species] has a unique life cycle,” Bouchie says.

Where Do Air Plants Grow Naturally?

Air plants are native to Central and South America, Mexico and parts of the southern United States.

Best Air Plants for Beginners

These are some of the more resilient air plant species that are relatively hardy, easy to find and offer a broad range of design and display opportunities.

Ioantha

Generally one to three inches tall with pointed leaves, Ioantha is easy to care for and has a few varieties. Many produce red, orange, pink or purple blooms. It prefers indirect sunlight and frequent misting.

Caput-medusa

Caput-medusa will grow straight whether mounted horizontally or even upside-down, so it’s suitable for many types of displays. It also tolerates less watering. “I’ve had mine for years, and it’s forgiving of light and water,” Huffman says.

Aeranthos

This common beginner plant is a hardy species that requires less watering. Its stiff green leaves grow upward, and a purple flower eventually emerges from its pink bud. Its several varieties range in size and color.

How To Care for Air Plants

It’s a common misconception that air plants receive all the water and nourishment they need from the air. Like all plants, they, too, need light and water and can perish from over or under-watering.

How to water air Plants

There are a few acceptable watering practices. You can mist air plants every few days, drenching them until dripping wet, bathe them for six to 12 hours in a bowl of water once a week, or a third method, which Huffman prefers. “After a lot of trial and error, I think the best way to water is to flip them upside down and water the leaves under the faucet,” she says.

Whatever method you choose, it’s crucial to shake off excess water when finished and set the plant out to dry on a towel for at least four hours.

Note: Try not to touch the plant’s leaves. Oils from your skin can clog their sensitive little trichomes.

Do air plants need sun?

While all air plants need sun, these needs vary across plant types. “Most species want bright, indirect light, but some need direct sun to flourish,” Bouchie says. Huffman has a good rule of thumb when determining a plant’s light needs. “The more fluffy and gray a Tillandsia looks, generally the more sun and heat it can take,” she says, but be sure to follow care instructions carefully.

How To Display Air Plants

Because air plants are lightweight and soil-free, they offer practical and fun opportunities for designing interesting displays. They’re happy taking up residence on something as small as a wine-bottle cork, inside a hanging glass orb or even sprouting from a piece of driftwood.

Where To Buy Air Plants

Unfortunately, the over-collection of air plants in the wild destroys their native habitat and threatens their survival. However, you can purchase sustainably grown air plants from certified growers online and at some local nurseries.

FAQ

Do air plants need to be attached to something?

“Air plants don’t need to be attached to anything to grow,” Huffman says. “They’re epiphytes, which means they live on a branch, trunk, rock, or other place that isn’t soil, so they aren’t saturated in water for long.” However, they do need to be placed in a way that allows for good air circulation.

Can you revive an air plant?

As long as the plant is not too far gone, you can revive an air plant. Trim away any dead or dying leaves, then ensure adequate air circulation and light conditions. Water as needed and use an air plant fertilizer (diluted to half strength) once a month.

Is my air plant dead?

Signs that an air plant is alive include visible green at the base of the plant, firm leaves and a positive response when watered. If none of these signs are present, the plant is most likely dead.

About the Experts

• Jarrod Bouchie is a Senior e-Commerce Manager at Pistils Nursery, a well-known plant shop specializing in unique plants and gardening educational programs in Portland, Oregon.
• Tina Huffman is a plant and decor blogger at greenhousestudio.co. She has been an air plant enthusiast ever since ‘discovering’ them in a university greenhouse as an undergrad plant science major.

Sources

University of Florida: Florida’s Native Bromeliads (2022)