Try to be patient and caring with your air plants because they tend to develop quite slowly at first. Over time, you’ll discover that they are incredibly tolerant plants that benefit from just a few simple instructions.
- glaring indirect lighting
- Every once or twice a week, immerse the entire plant for 5–10 minutes in room temperature water. After a bath, let plants to dry for at least three hours by hanging them upside-down on a towel.
- For better blooms and the growth of your daughters, fertilize every two months with an epiphytic, bromeliad, or non-urea nitrogen fertilizer (pups).
Origins
Tillandsias are a member of the broad bromeliad family. Southern North America, as well as temperate regions of Central and South America, are the natural habitats of the Tillandsia genus. According to
The plant species may grow in arid to tropical environments like mountains, deserts, and rain forests. The thick-leafed types are found in dry places, while the thinner-leafed varieties grow there.
in regions where drought is more likely. This is a crucial factor to take into account when purchasing an air plant because it will define the plant’s hardiness and the precise watering requirements.
What is an Epiphyte?
We adore the fact that air plants are epiphytes since they are totally unique and adaptable! The mosses, orchids, bromeliads, and Spanish moss are a few well-known examples (which is also of the genus Tillandsia.) The term “epiphyte” simply describes a plant that grows without soil and acquires its nutrition by attaching to another plant or structure without the use of parasites. They will develop roots in order to tie themselves to something, but they are merely there for stability and support. If the roots of your plants start to go out of control, you may always cut them back with a pair of scissors without harming the plant. An air plant is a distinctive and eye-catching feature in the home because of its capacity to simply “hang out,” which opens up countless design possibilities.
Basic Care
Tillandsias grow on trees and telephone lines in the wild, where they are slightly shielded from the hot sun. Allow your plant to receive strong indirect light indoors; direct sunlight, especially in the summer, will burn the plant’s margins. Simply pinch off any browning leaves you see close to the stem’s base; this will encourage new development. Tillandsias have developed a different method because they cannot acquire nutrition from their roots. They do this brilliantly by making use of Trichomes, tiny structures on their leaves. The plant can absorb nutrients and moisture from the air, rain, and occasionally collecting debris thanks to these tiny hair-like structures. This is essential to an airplant’s survival, particularly in regulating the plant’s water retention. Nice, huh? You can see why Tillandsia’s health depends on a proper watering schedule.
WATERING
The ideal time to water your air plant is in the morning, when you can immerse it in a water bath. Stomata on air plants open during night, allowing for the flow of gases and the evaporation of oxygen. Watering early in the day will help to avoid interfering with this crucial procedure. Although you can sprinkle your Tillandsia, this won’t provide enough moisture over time, and the plant’s vascular cells may start to degenerate.
Your air plant requires either weekly or biweekly soaks, depending on the type and thickness of the leaves. You must be careful not to use distilled water or water with a high salt concentration when doing this. Both of these are deficient in essential minerals and nutrients that your plant need and will eventually kill it after only a few waterings. Water from ponds or the rain is favored, but it might be challenging for most people to find. It is sufficient to use filtered tap water or tap water that has been allowed to sit at room temperature for at least 12 hours. Make sure the entire plant is submerged in the water; turning it upside down frequently prevents floating. Give the air plant about 40 to an hour in its soaking. Most crucial, allow your plants to soak for at least 3 hours on a towel outside of their containers. The worst error that humans commit is this. Keep in mind that air plants are accustomed to extremely dry situations where they have the chance to dry out in nature. The moisture will be trapped in the plant’s meristem (base region) if you immediately put it back in its jar or container, which will inevitably result in rot.
If you have an air plant that blooms, the bloom will typically last two to three weeks! Only partially submerge the flowering Air plant during this time because getting the flower wet will unfortunately limit the bloom length.
Give a water bath for 12 hours the night before you go if you are taking a trip that will last more than two weeks. Once home, soak for another 12 hours before airing out. Additionally, there are a few “extras” you can carry out to encourage more blooms and quicker growth.
FERTILIZING
While fertilizing your tillandsia might help it grow and bloom more quickly, be careful not to overdo it. If you have access to rain or pond water, you can skip this step. We advise fertilizing just once every two months at most. You can purchase typical bromeliad fertilizer and add it to the water in your bath. In the absence of urea-based nitrogen, which is advised only for plants that are kept in soil, use 1/4 of the recommended amount of any water-soluble fertilizer.
NEW GROWTH”PUPS
Every air plant will only ever blossom once in its lifetime, which is sad but real. Trimming off the entire blossom stalk after the flower has dried up will encourage “pupping. Tillandsia” Pups are only new plants growing at the plant’s root. About two months after the mother plant or main base of the plant has completed blooming, they usually start to grow. New pups can be pulled off the mother plant by twisting them, or you can keep them on because they start to group together and the mother plant will eventually wither and be replaced by the puppies. Before you remove the pups, make sure to wait until they are between 1/3 and 1/2 the size of the mother plant.
How often do air plant blooms occur?
The wait is over now. Your air plant has bloomed after careful attention and affection! You could wonder how it got to this stage and how I should take care of my flowering air plant. Or perhaps you are still impatiently awaiting your Tillandsia to bloom and are considering what you can do to promote the process. In either scenario, you should read this post.
Start by reviewing some basic information on the air plant blooming cycle. In the life cycle of an air plant, the bloom, as with any blooming plant, signifies the beginning of the reproductive process. The fact that air plants only bloom once in their lifetime may surprise you. Depending on the species, tillandsia generate various flowers, with many of them producing exquisitely colored blossoms that come in a variety of hues, from delicate pinks and flaming reds to vibrant purples and yellows.
In the realm of tillandsias, there are many various types of blooming styles. When they begin to bloom, some plants, like the capitata peach, blush a light pink color, and blossoms emerge directly from the core of the plant. Small buds arise from the heart of several plants, including the stricta and aeranthros. The bud eventually enlarges and unfolds to expose flowers. While some blooms only last a few days, others can linger for several weeks.
Some air plants have bloom cycles that are significantly longer than average, and these extended cycles are more typical in larger plants like the caput-medusae and the xerographica. For some types, these plants produce inflorescences, which are huge bloom tracts that may reach heights of over a foot! The blooms on the tract gradually unfold and emerge from the inflorescence. Some Tillandsias have blooming periods that persist for more than a year.
After the bloom: Your air plant may begin to sprout new growth after the bloom cycle is over. These are young air plants, sometimes known as offsets or “pups. These little children will eventually become independent individuals “air plant grownup, and the cycle will start over! You can cut off the bloom tract that emerged from the plant to boost the next stage of growth, which will hasten the pup stage! Depending on the species, an air plant will often produce 1 to 3 pups after blooming. You can choose to remove the puppies or allow them to cluster after they reach a size that is around one-third that of the mother plant.
How to get your air plants to blossom: Most Tillandsia that are in good health will ultimately bloom, but they need good maintenance and lots of light to do so. Use a diluted fertilizer, such as our specially made Air Plant Food, every a month or so to promote blooms and pup production to hasten the blooming process.
Do Tillandsias require any extra attention when they are in bloom? Keep watering and feeding your plant, first and foremost! However, when watering blossoming air plants, you’ll need to exercise extra caution. We advise that you immerse, spritz, or keep under softly running water only the parts of the air plant that allow you to avoid wetting the bloom, as opposed to soaking the entire plant. The bloom may decay or wilt if immersed in water for an extended period of time. Since all of a plant’s energy is going towards the bloom and eventually the puppies, a flowering plant may require a bit more water than usual. Keep an eye on your plant to ensure its happiness and health.
You might get to take pleasure in flowers of your own using sunshine, water, and a little fertilizer! Cheers to blooming!
Want to know what happens after that? Check out the following post in the series on blooming, After the Bloom, as well as our page on air plant propagation.
After blooming, how long do air plants survive?
The growth rates of the various categories of air plants will have a considerable impact on how long your tillandsias live.
Xeric tillandsias, or the silvery-fuzzy varieties, are native to hot climates. They don’t need as much watering as mesic tillandsias, and they can withstand more intense lighting for longer periods of time.
Since mesic tillandsias (the greener varieties) are native to humid climates, they require more frequent and deeper waterings. Additionally, they naturally conceal themselves in the trees to avoid direct sunlight (but still lots of bright light).
It can be shown from a comparison of the two types of tillandsias that xeric air plants grow significantly more slowly than mesic ones. The air plant will take longer to mature, blossom, and generate pups if it grows more slowly.
Lifespan factor #2: Propagation method
The longevity of your air plant will vary depending on how it was propagated. Generally speaking, it contributes to the entire lives. Since growing from seed requires more time than growing from pups, pan.
It will take your air plant about two to three years to mature into a small plant if you start with seeds. It will take another 3-5 years to mature after that. If you start from seed, growth will be extremely sluggish during the first several years.
However, if it has had time to develop stronger, your plant may live longer than those that are cultivated from pups. Not always, but generally speaking, air plants developed from seeds will be more robust and healthy.
A new air plant will mature more faster if you start the growth of one from an offset. Typically, that is how your air plant was propagated whether you purchased it locally or ordered it online. It’s simpler and more practical. A mature offset will take two to three years to reach, bloom, generate new pups, and then die.
See this page for extra advice if the air plant you have doesn’t seem to be growing.
Air plant lifespan factor #3: Level of care
One of the key determinants of how long an air plant will last is how well you take care of it. Your air plant might not survive more than a few months if it receives poor care.
Keeping air plants in damp environments or overwatering them are two things that can lead to their mortality. In this situation, air plants don’t exhibit many or any symptoms for a while. When you pick them up or decide to water them again, however, they abruptly start to come apart.
Air exchange and lighting are also essential for air plants. Don’t store them in terrariums with lids. You still need to properly air the space even if you keep them in open displays.
A few times a week, taking the plant outside will be quite useful. Your plant needs a lot of indirect, bright light to survive and flourish.
Make sure to bring your air plant indoors when the temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 Celsius). You need to water your air plant more frequently in the heat.
Lifespan #4: Nutrients and fertilization
Unbelievably, tillandsias in the wild receive nutrients from a variety of sources nearby. They take up nutrients from decomposing materials, withering leaves, airborne organic detritus, and even animal waste. Your indoor air plants can’t obtain those nutrients at home, therefore they don’t get them.
Although fertilizing your air plants is not essential, doing so will increase their longevity by months or even years. You can use a variety of fertilizers, including this spray, which needs to be applied once a week. Following product directions is essential since excessive fertilization might burn your plants to death.
Boron and zinc fertilizers should never be purchased as tillandsias are poisoned by them. Additionally, fertilizer needs to be water soluble so that your air plant’s trichomes on its leaves can absorb it.
Additionally, since bacteria in the soil are required to convert urea into useable nitrogen for plants, fertilizer must be urea-free. Due to a lack of soil, your air plants cannot perform this. Your plant will suffer early plant damage if you use those fertilizers.
How long do air plant blooms last?
Blooms on air plants can persist anywhere between a few days and 2-4 weeks. However, the blossoms of certain larger air plants, such t.xerographica, can continue up to a year.
Make sure not to soak or water your air plant at all if you want the bloom to persist longer. Because the bloom of an air plant cannot absorb water, watering it will cause it to wilt quickly.
Tillandsias only have one blossom in their lifetime, after which they produce pups and pass away. It usually blooms between one and two years after you get it, but this can vary.
I appreciate you reading this. Please visit this resource page to learn more about caring for air plants.