At least a few hours of bright, indirect sun each day are necessary for air plants to grow and be content.
The optimal placement is between one and three feet from an east or west-facing window, or around two feet from a source of artificial light. They can withstand longer, hotter, more direct sun exposure if you keep them well-hydrated. Avoid areas that are poorly lit.
How many hours of light do air plants need?
Due of their low light requirements, air plants are excellent low-light plants. However, you’d do well to provide them plenty of strong indirect light so they can thrive. Whether it is natural light or artificial light, air plants require different amounts of light to grow. They will value the about 8 hours of indirect light if it is natural light. They will require roughly 12 hours if artificial light is all they have. Ensure that they get some downtime at night.
Can you put air plants outside to get sunlight?
Yes, air plants can be maintained outside to receive the most light if you don’t want to keep them within. They can also enhance the natural elements in your outdoor area. Make sure your air plants are shaded during the hottest hours if you place them outside to receive enough of light. They will have ample protection from searing light if they are tucked inside a tree branch or the edge of your porch railing.
Are air plants low-light plants?
Although air plants are not low light plants, they can nonetheless thrive there. You need to add artificial light to low light circumstances to help plants grow bigger, generate shoots, and eventually bloom. You might also relocate them to a room with more natural light.
Can air plants get too much light?
There is such a thing as too much light, despite the fact that air plants benefit greatly from strong, indirect light. Its duration and intensity would be related to two instances of excessive light. Sunburn is a sign of too much direct light and can occur in air plants when they are exposed to light that is too hot and intense. They haven’t been given any time without light, which is the second factor. Because air plants need to rest, lighting them constantly will prevent them from storing enough energy to blossom or give birth to pups.
What are the best rooms for air plants?
Every home has a different ideal space for air plants. Air plants can thrive as long as they receive adequate watering, have decent airflow, and receive some light. Here are some ideas to help them succeed and eventually blossom: 1) Mesic air plants thrive in humid environments like the kitchen and the bathroom. Artificial light can easily be used as a nightlight if there isn’t enough natural light. 2) Sun-filled rooms with big windows are also fantastic locations. 3. Place them outside in the summer in a shaded area, such as a tree nook, to protect them from the sun.
How long must it be light for air plants?
LIGHT: You should constantly give your air plants a sufficient amount of light. In the summer, the only thing to keep in mind is to never leave them in the sun. The plants can quickly dry out if they are exposed to too much light. It is usually acceptable to leave them in direct sunshine from October through March, but keep a constant eye on them to make sure they are not overheated. We like to keep our air plants in our home no more than 4 feet from a window and in a location with plenty of strong, indirect light.
Florescent lighting is the best type of artificial light for air plants. Plants need to be placed between 6″ and 35″ away from fluorescent lighting. Only expose your air plants to light for roughly 12 hours each day. If you’re going to keep your air plants in artificial light, I’d advise using a timer that runs automatically to ensure they get the right amount.
Water: You should water your air plants many times a week if you reside in a dry area. If you reside in a cool, humid climate, watering once a week is good. Fill a container with water until the plants are completely submerged to water your air plants. After around 30 minutes, remove your plants and let them dry. After watering, plants should have access to adequate light and airflow to dry within four hours.
Always dry air plants upside down, if at all possible. This guarantees that there is no standing water at the base of the plant, which might easily cause the interior to rot. For this reason, before soaking, you should also remove plants from decorative fittings. If you live somewhere dry, you might want to spray your plants in between waterings. If your plants aren’t getting enough water, you’ll notice because the leaves will start to curl in an unusual way and feel dry to the touch. If you have mounted air plants, you can mist them, but during the warmer months, make sure to mist them frequently.
Air Movement:
Tillandsias should receive enough light and airflow after each watering so that they dry in four hours or less. Avoid keeping plants consistently moist or wet.
The recommended temperature range for air plants outside is between 50 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. For growing your plants, the average home environment is perfect.
Use fertilizer for air plants once or twice per month. It facilitates flowering and reproduction. The “Air Plant Food” from Air Plant Hub is suggested. It includes a mixture of fertilizers made especially for epiphytic plants (air plants)!
How long can air plants survive in the dark?
The care of air plants is simple and they are highly hardy. We have observed them surviving for up to two weeks without light or water in a shipping box (Do not try that at home). You should open the package as soon as your new air plants are delivered. As with all plants, air plants require light, air, and water. We ship them using Priority Mail, which delivers packages in 2 to 3 days.
You should soak your air plants in room-temperature water for 20 to 60 minutes to reduce the stress of transportation. Simply place the plants totally submerged in a dish of clean water. Municipal water frequently contains chemicals like fluoride or chlorine. Your air plants will thrive if you have well water, pond water, creek water, or rain water. Spring water in bottles is another option. Use tap water instead of distilled water since it has more nutrients and minerals that air plants need. Since air plants do not require soil to survive, all of their nutrients, light, and moisture are obtained through their leaves.
Your air plants’ leaves may have a white, fuzzy coating, especially after a thorough soaking. Trichomes is the name for them. Trichomes, which are tiny protrusions on the leaves, are what the plants use to absorb water and nutrients. They are not a fungus or a mold.
After soaking, take your air plants out of the water, carefully shake off the excess water, and then spread the plants out so they may dry completely before being placed in a display. The best spot to let them dry and soak up some sunlight is on a lovely sunny window sill. Avoid placing your air plants in the sun’s direct rays. They prefer direct, bright sunlight. Allowing your air plants to dry completely is crucial if you intend to place them in a glass terrarium, a wall hanging display, or any other type of enclosure (or in a hole to stand them up). Your plants are less likely to rot if you let the air plants completely dry.
Within an hour or two, your air plants ought to be dry. After they have dried, place them where they will receive a lot of bright, indirect sunlight. They will quickly dry out if you place them in the sunshine. Your air plants often simply require a weekly 30-minute soak in water. In addition to the soak, you might need to spritz them with water once a week if they are in an extremely dry or heated area. If their leaves start to curl, that is a sign that they are becoming too dry. If you observe this happening, give them a nice bath. Despite their name, air plants require a little bit more than just air to survive.
Spraying them with water two or three times a week would enough if you are unable to let your air plants soak in a bowl of water while they are on display.
Do air plants need to be in the sun?
As we’ve previously indicated, air plants thrive in indirect sunlight. Your air plants will lose moisture due to too much sunshine, and if they are kept in the sun for an extended period of time, they will burn and eventually perish. Tiny scales on the leaves of air plants—properly referred to as trichomes—serve two main purposes. They first aid the plant’s absorption of nutrients and water. They also aid in reflecting sunlight off the leaf surface.
Tectorum Ecuador’s tall, white, and bright trichomes aid in reflecting the intense light in its open, natural habitat. High elevation cliff sides in Peru and Ecuador are home to this species.
In general, you want to keep all of your air plants as far away from direct sunlight as you can, however depending on the plant’s species and climate, certain tillandsia can tolerate more sun than others. Your plant won’t likely fare well in direct sunlight if its leaves are thinner and wispier. This form of air plant may be better able to handle some direct sunlight for sections of the day since its thicker, broader leaves can hold moisture better. Direct sunlight is typically best handled by silver-leaved air plant species like xerographica.
Avoid exposing your air plants to direct sunlight if you live in a southern state or a desert region where the sun is very powerful. Take extra care in arid environments like the desert because the lack of humidity may cause your plants’ damage and drying out from the sun much faster.
We advise placing your indoor air plants near windows if you intend to keep them there. They could also be maintained close to a window that receives shade from a tree or any other form of solar protection. Many people also choose to maintain their air plants at an office with either bright fluorescent lighting or indirect sunlight from windows.
The same rules apply if you keep your air plants outside; just make sure they are totally covered from direct sunlight or in a location where they won’t receive more than an hour of direct sunshine every day. It should be fine to sit on your porch, lanai, or under a tree.
Air plants thrive in shaded patios and porches that only receive light in the early morning and late afternoon.
Brown stains, dried-out patches that emerge on internal growth, and highly unhealthy splotchy appearances of exterior leaves where completely wet are all symptoms of sunburn. If you see any of these symptoms, remove the plant from its current place right away, and ready to perform some little care. Remove the completely damaged exterior leaves by gently pulling them off. If they are difficult to remove, use a pair of scissors to cut away any damaged sections. After removing the plant’s worst damaged areas, give the air plant a nice soak before moving it to a better, shaded location. Continue watering the air plant as usual and add a few daily, light mistings; do not fertilize it until it is fully healthy again. Avoid oversoaking since if the plant is left wet for too long, it may fall apart. Your air plant should quickly return to its happy, healthy self if you are persistent and patient.
Do my air plants need to be misted?
The final technique in our series on watering air plants is misting, which you can employ in between regular soaking or immersing. Read more in our earlier blog posts to learn more about the dunk method and soaking.
If you notice that your plant’s leaves are starting to seem a bit dry or if you live in a dry region with low air humidity, misting is an excellent approach to give it a little additional hydration. Misting is probably not enough water for your plant to grow, therefore you shouldn’t utilize this method as its only supply of water.
The T. tectorum, which has a lot of trichomes, is an exception to this rule and prefers misting to soaking or submerging. In a temperate area, you might only need to mist once a month with one of these guys, or once a week in a hotter environment.
In contrast to other plants with bigger leaves, plants with wispy leaves such the T. ionantha, T. andreana, or T. fuchsii v gracilis may require misting more regularly in addition to weekly watering.
- It’s easy to spritz plants; just use a spray bottle or hose attachment set to the “mist” setting. Make sure the entire plant gets soaked before misting. As previously mentioned, if this is their sole source of water, this is not the greatest approach for watering. If you mist your plants, remember to additionally soak or dip them once a week at the very least.
A useful generalization to remember is that a healthy air plant will have leaves that are wide open, whereas a dehydrated air plant would have leaves that curl inward. Bring on the mist if you see that your plant is starting to appear a touch dry between your regular waterings!
Where should my air plant be placed?
All air plants are native to tropical regions where freezing temperatures never occur. It’s crucial to keep them at a reasonable temperature without a sweater, right? typically from the 1960s or earlier. Keep them away from windows that are cold in the winter and air conditioner vents.
At least a few hours of bright, indirect sun each day are necessary for air plants to thrive. The optimal placement is between one and three feet from an east or west-facing window, or around two feet from a source of artificial light. They can be exposed to hotter, more direct sun for longer periods of time if you maintain them well-hydrated. Avoid areas that are poorly lit.