Tillandsias, aka air plants
So many strange names, but they all mean the same thing. Never heard of them? What about air plants, does that ring a bell? If not, you are in the right place. And if it does and you just need to find out how to care for these plants properly, you are in the right place too. Today’s article is all about air plants.
Tillandsias are a diverse genus of interesting plants that look more like a work of art than a living plant. The way they are grown is also very decorative. They do not need potting mix to grow; they live on nothing but air, water and humidity. And, of course, an occasional spray of water, but more on that later.
Where should you put it?
Simply display them
Just keep in mind that they need enough light (it should be indirect and diffused, but this depends on the type of tillandsia) and that the surface you place them on must not hold water. The material must have low absorbency so that it does not easily get moldy. Otherwise, the tillandsia itself could get moldy too.
These plants look great on a piece of wood (for example on special driftwood roots or on cholla wood), on a stone, in a small bowl of sand or even in a seashell or a clam shell. They also look interesting attached to plain cork or a cork stopper.
But a tillandsia should not just lie loose on a table or windowsill. Its leaves could break, it will never start forming aerial roots, and you may also be tempted to touch and handle it more often than necessary, which is not ideal.
Beautiful aerariums are another option, where a tillandsia can be the centerpiece. But do not try to squeeze it in too tightly: it should always have air circulating around it.
Hang it up
You can proceed as in step one, except that the arrangement will float in the air. A jellyfish-style display, for example, is perfect: put the tillandsia in a sea urchin shell and hang it up. Tillandsia usneoides is especially well suited for this. You can also grow tillandsias in a hanging glass globe.
And countless other options…
Just take a look at Pinterest or Google and you will be amazed at everything you can come up with for displaying tillandsias. But they must always have enough light, enough humidity and the occasional misting that goes with it, and they should not be in a completely closed container.
How do you attach it?
The easiest solution is probably to attach it with glue. But watch out: if you use a glue gun, the glue must not be hot. Apply just a tiny amount so that it does not run everywhere and is not too visible. Contact adhesive will probably be a better choice. Nylon fishing line or binding wire also work well. The wire should not be copper, though. Copper (as well as zinc and boron) is said to be toxic to tillandsias. So arranging these plants in copper pipes or attaching them with copper wire will not be the best idea.
Where did they come from?
These plants belong to the bromeliad family and come from subtropical and tropical South and Central America and the southern part of North America, where they commonly grow as epiphytes on trees, shrubs and other plants. Thanks to this variety of origins, many species have evolved: some are tiny with delicate leaves, others huge with large, stiff leaves. There are colorful species and flowering species, so you can take your pick. Tillandsia lautneri, for example, can turn pink, orange and even red in direct sun.
How do they stay alive?
We have already mentioned that tillandsias do not need potting mix to live. They get everything they need through their tiny hairs, called trichomes. This is how they take in water (from watering or air humidity) and nutrients. Trichomes also give tillandsias a slightly silvery sheen and a velvety surface; in some species this is clearly visible, and they look almost completely “hairy”.
Depending on how many trichomes they have, they can be divided into two categories, because each comes from different conditions.
- Smooth, very green species come from rainforests and conditions with very high air humidity. They can also tolerate less light. These species usually have smaller, slimmer and, you could say, more flexible leaves. One example is Tillandsia butzii.
- By contrast, species that are pale, silvery and have visible trichomes will tolerate more light, even direct sun, and can make do with less water and misting. One example is Tillandsia tectorum.
How do you grow them?
Tillandsias really are easy to grow, probably also because they grow very slowly and generally react slowly to change. Do not be afraid to experiment with different spots, as long as you are gentle enough when moving and handling them.
Light conditions
As we mentioned above, the amount of light needed depends on the type of tillandsia. For most species, though, plenty of indirect, diffused light is best. Some species can even tolerate a few hours of direct light if you mist them enough and keep them supplied with water.
Watering
Again, we should stress that it depends on the specific species, but as a rule, tillandsias like a frequent supply of water. However, the water should not be hard or high in minerals. These can cause unsightly deposits on the leaves (especially on the tips) and, over time, can even clog the trichomes and gradually kill the tillandsia, because it will not be able to take in water and nutrients. So if you have hard water and no way to water with rainwater, try the first watering method listed here.
- Soaking in water for a longer time: once in a while, you can submerge your tillandsias in a container of water and let them soak thoroughly, for 30 to 60 minutes, for example. Then shake off the excess water and let them air-dry. This method is recommended precisely when you have hard water, so that minerals from the water do not dry on the leaves as often.
- Dipping in water briefly: dip the whole plant in water for a moment, shake off the excess water and let it air-dry. Doing this 1 to 2 times a week is recommended.
- Spraying: you can also spray tillandsias with a mister, about 1 to 2 times a week, even more often in summer. Spray every part of the plant so that it turns green all over and soaks up the water properly.
Fertilizing
Because tillandsias grow very slowly, they do not need frequent fertilizing either. What has worked best for me is adding liquid orchid and bromeliad fertilizer directly to the water once every 2 to 3 weeks, but at a much lower concentration than the packaging usually recommends.
Will we see a flower?
Tillandsias have truly gorgeous flowers, which first appear as orange or red buds, from which blue or purple flowers with yellow anthers then emerge. However, this is a fairly rare sight, and some species are said to flower only once in their lifetime, so do not despair if you have not seen a flower yet.
But once it does bloom, it is a joy to behold. The flowers are also quite often pleasantly fragrant. The flower lasts about a month and then dries up. You can then pinch or cut it off without damaging the mother plant.
How do you propagate it?
Tillandsias can be propagated from seed, but this is a demanding and lengthy process. Most tillandsias are cross-pollinated, which means that for pollination we need two unrelated plants that flower at the same time. That alone is difficult to achieve, so we will not describe the process here.
They can also be propagated vegetatively, from offsets. After flowering, a new little plant (or several) develops on the mother plant, which can then be pulled or broken off and grown as a new plant.
Pests and problems
Tillandsias do not usually suffer from any pests, which makes them truly low-maintenance houseplants. Watering by soaking for a longer time also helps the plant get rid of any pests. Unfortunately, if the center of the plant does not dry out properly and it is also cold, mold can sometimes appear. The leaves may curl, then start falling off, until eventually nothing is left… So make sure the plant is not exposed to low temperatures after such a bath and that it dries out completely.
Tillandsias are truly adorable plants, and you certainly cannot go wrong with them. Let us know which one is your favorite.
Author: Ing. Alžběta Kadlecová