How Much Light Does An Air Plant Need?

Air plants prefer indirect light that is bright. That is, unless the windowsill receives filtered light or merely soft morning sun, don’t plan to keep them there. Air plants have a tendency to grow a little wilted “In direct sunshine, especially when amplified through a glass window or terrarium, things get “cooked.” In low light, on the other hand, they will be unhappy. Our air plants are kept in the brightest rooms of our home.

Yes, grow lights can be used to give additional light for air plants or even serve as their sole source of light! But take attention of what I said “Growing Lights” This necessitates the use of full-spectrum fluorescent or LED lights that are specifically designed for plant growth. Incandescent bulbs do not produce the quality of light required by air plants to photosynthesize.

Maintain a distance of 3 feet or less between the air plants and the light source. If artificial light is their primary source of illumination, keep it on for at least 12 hours every day to ensure adequate illumination. In that situation, a light timer might come in handy.

Can air plants live in low light?

Air plants are touted as perfect plants for introducing some greenery into dark spaces since they can live in low light. Air plants thrive in strong indirect light, despite the fact that they can survive in low light.

How much sunlight does an air plant need?

Air plants make excellent office plants since they demand indirect light, which they can get either through a window or artificially with full spectrum fluorescent lights.

Of course, there are exceptions to everything in nature. Some silver-leafed air plants can withstand more direct sunshine than others. One of the few tillandsias that can tolerate full light is the enormous Xerographica air plant (read more about the Xerographica here).

We propose that you experiment with varied lighting circumstances for your air plants to observe how they respond. Where have you seen the best success with your air plants? What hasn’t worked for your air plants in terms of lighting?

Can air plants live in artificial light?

In the summer, how do you care for your air plants? Due to heat, greater sun, more humidity, or drier locations, you may need to modify your watering schedule, how much light your plants receive, and where you display your plants throughout the summer months. Check out our article on how to care for your air plants in the summer for more information.
Do air plants help to filter the air? Studies have shown that houseplants can help to filter the air in your home, but only in tiny volumes. To understand more, read our article on the advantages of bringing air plants into your house.
Is it possible to overwater air plants? Yes, it is possible to overwater your air plants. In normal conditions, most air plant species only require water twice a week, but others with numerous trichomes can go even longer without it. Air plants can decay if they are overwatered. It’s also important to have good air circulation; the plants should be able to dry out entirely in a few hours. Plants that have been moist or wet for an extended period of time are susceptible to fungus and rot.
Is it possible to keep air plants outside? In most regions, air plants can flourish outside. Because we live in Florida, our plants thrive in the excessive humidity. If you’re going to put your air plants outside, keep an eye on them throughout the day to make sure they’re not getting too much light or not receiving enough water. If your plants are kept outside and you reside in a dry area, you may need to water them more frequently. If the weather drops below 50 degrees, you’ll want to bring your plants indoors.
Is it possible to glue air plants? You can glue your air plant to a mount or a seashell, for example. E6000 adhesive or a small dot of hot glue are also good options. Only use glue on the plant’s lower leaves while gluing.
How do I take care of air plants that have been glued or mounted? To water an air plant that is affixed or fastened to a piece of driftwood or a wreath, carefully hold the air plant under a light stream of water while ensuring the wood does not become wet. This will allow the plant to be watered while also reducing the risk of it rotting owing to moist wood against the plant’s base. If your air plant appears to be dry in between waterings, softly spray it.
Is it possible for air plants to flourish in artificial light or in low light? Yes, air plants can thrive in the presence of sufficient artificial light. Make sure your plants receive at least 4-6 hours of light per day. Low-light conditions are difficult for air plants to thrive in. If you store your plants in a low-light area, we recommend shifting them to a higher-light area on a regular basis to ensure they get enough light. You’ll notice that air plants in low light situations lose their color and become duller than those in good indirect light.
Is it possible to cultivate air plants upside down? Absolutely! Because air plants are epipythes, they can grow upside down, right side up, or sideways by using their roots as an anchor. Some plants, such as the caput medusae, pseudobaileyi, bulbosa, and butzii, thrive when mounted upside down.
What is the best way to prune air plants? Learn how to maintain your air plants healthy and looking their best by reading our article on air plant pruning.
Is it possible for animals to be poisoned by air plants? Tillandsia, often known as air plants, are safe for dogs and cats. So don’t worry if your cat likes to nibble on the leaves of your air plants. In our article “Air Plants + Pets: Are Air Plants Toxic?” you may learn more about air plants and pets.
Is it possible to resurrect a sick or dried-up air plant? Depending on how far gone your plant is, you may be able to resuscitate it by giving it a long bath. It might not make it if it’s too dried out or soft, but it’s worth a go! Start by giving the plant a nice soak for 4-6 hours and see how it responds. Allow it to completely dry before soaking it again the next day to see if there is any improvement.
What is the rate of growth of air plants? The majority of air plants grow slowly, however some grow more quickly than others. Some plants, such as the xerographica, harissi, and capitata, grow slowly yet can reach great sizes. Ionantha plants, for example, stay small yet generate offsets more quickly than xerographica plants.
What are the best air plants for dry climates? Plants with a lot of trichomes thrive in drier, less humid environments. Learn more about these drought-tolerant plants in our article “Drought Tolerant Tillandsia: “The Best Air Plants for Drier Climates,” and get them from our drought-tolerant air plant page.

How often should you mist air plants?

Air plants in glass globes have grown so popular that I’m always getting calls asking how to care for them. Follow these simple instructions to get the most out of your glass-encased plant. If you’re seeking for glass globes, our shop has a wide selection of distinctive patterns.

When you initially get your plant, immerse it in water for 20-30 minutes. Take note of the plant’s size and color to determine how content it is. Keep this “image” in your thoughts at all times.
Every 4-5 days, mist your plant with one spray for tiny globes, 2-3 sprays for globes 3-5 inches in diameter, and more if the plant is in a large open globe. The trick is to determine the drying time; the smaller the globe, the less circulation, the longer the plant will retain moisture. The plant will perish if it is overwatered.
Remember how your plant appeared after it had been soaked? If it has lost its joyful, healthy appearance, remove it from the globe and soak it for 30 minutes to an hour, then shake it and allow it dry almost entirely before replacing it.
Do not position your globes in front of a window that receives direct sunlight. Keep in mind that the glass will magnify the sunshine and heat. The ideal light is indirect light, and certain plants may even flourish in low to moderate light.
Ionantha Guatemala, Ionantha Rubra, Ionantha Scaposa, Ionantha Mexican, Ionantha Fuego, Funkiana, Argentea, Bulbosa Guatemala, and Butzii are some of the most popular globe plants.
The care instructions that follow are more detailed, so dive right in! As I’ve learnt more over the last year, I’ve added more.

Where do you put air plants?

All air plants are native to tropical areas where freezing and frost are unheard of. Is it necessary to keep them at temperatures that you are comfortable in without wearing a sweater? Temperatures are usually in the 60s and higher. Place them away from air conditioner vents and drafty winter windows.

Air plants need at least a few hours of bright, indirect sunlight per day to thrive. It’s best to put it within 1 to 3 feet of an east- or west-facing window, or within a foot or two of a light source. They may have hotter, more direct sun and longer exposure if you keep them well watered. Avoid places that are dimly lighted.

How long do you soak an air plant?

While most air plants benefit from weekly soaks of 15-30 minutes, others prefer to be misted or plunged rather than immersed.

Can I soak my air plants overnight?

Any plant requires light to survive, but air plants may get by with filter sunlight or even artificial light.
Place your air plant 3-5 feet away from a window or near a source of artificial light.
Even inside, too much sunshine is bad for an air plant. If you’re going to grow it outside, make sure it’s in a somewhat shaded spot. Only a few kinds can withstand full-day sun.

Watering

The most important thing to know is that each air plant, like other plants, will require various quantities of water depending on the kind, size, and area in which it is cultivated. These are only guidelines, not hard and fast regulations.
When growing air plants indoors, you should water them at least once a week. The frequency is determined by the humidity in their environment. An air plant kept near a heater will dry up much more quickly and require more frequent watering than one kept in a more humid environment.
To water your air plant, submerge it face down in water for 10-20 minutes, either in a container or in your sink. Alternatively, you can repeatedly submerge plants in water. To avoid rotting or damage, gently shake off excess water after soaking.
Water first thing in the morning so that moisture can evaporate throughout the day. After 4 hours, they should be dry enough to return to the container or display area.
Misting your tillandsia can help in a pinch, but it is not suggested all of the time.
If you want to fertilize your air plant, seek for a copper-free orchid or houseplant fertilizer (air plants are copper-sensitive). It’s easy to fertilize your plant too much, so don’t do it too often; diluting your fertilizer can help.
You can immerse your air plant in water (in a bowl or sink) for several hours or overnight if it appears to be thirsty or struggling. This is typically effective in reviving your tillandsia.
Rainwater or pond water are ideal for watering your tillandsia. Do not use distilled or artificially softened water to water your plants.
Dehydrated air plants have closed and curled leaves, whereas healthy air plants have wide, open leaves.
Submerging an air plant’s flower or blossom in water might cause it to decay.

Environment

One of the greatest places to put your air plants is near a bathroom or kitchen window, where the steam and moisture will keep them happy.
The way air plants develop and how much water they require can be affected by temperature. Air plants thrive in temperatures ranging from 10 to 32 degrees Celsius (50 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit). Freezing temperatures are a no-no for tillandsia, as they are extremely sensitive to cold.
Air plants, naturally, require clean air to thrive. They need enough air movement after watering to dry out within 4 hours.
Although it is common to put tillandsia in pots or terrariums, and they do well in them, it is not suggested that they be completely enclosed in them. Your plant will be deprived of moisture and nutrients if there is no air movement.
Avoid positioning your plants too close to heating and air conditioning vents, as they may dry up more quickly and require more watering.

Do air plants only bloom once?

The best technique to water your air plant in the morning is to immerse it in a water bath. The stomata of air plants open at night, allowing gas and oxygen exchange/vaporization. Watering first thing in the morning will help to avoid interrupting this crucial process. Although you can mist your Tillandsia, this will not provide enough moisture over time, and the plant’s vascular cells may begin to degenerate.

Your air plant should be soaked once a week or once every two weeks, depending on the kind and thickness of the leaves. To do so, make sure you’re not using distilled water or water with a high salt concentration. Both of these are deficient in crucial minerals and nutrients, and can kill your plant after only a few waterings. Rain or pond water are ideal, but they are also tough to come by for most of us. Filtered tap water or tap water that has been held at room temperature for at least 12 hours would sufficient. Submerge the entire plant in the water; turning it upside down frequently keeps it from floating. Allow the air plant to soak in its bath for around 40 minutes to an hour. Most crucial, allow your plants to soak for at least 3 hours on a towel outside of their containers. This is the most common blunder people make. Remember that air plants are adapted to relatively arid settings in nature, where they can dry out. If you immediately return the plant to its vessel/container, moisture will be trapped in the meristem (base region) of the plant, resulting in rot.

If you have a flowering air plant, the bloom will usually endure for two to three weeks! Unfortunately, having the flower wet can reduce the length of the bloom, so only submerge the flowering Air plant halfway during this time.

If you’re going on a trip for two weeks or more, soak for 12 hours the night before you leave, then air out for another 12 hours. When you get home, soak for another 12 hours and air out. You can also conduct a few “extras” to encourage faster growth and more blooms.

FERTILIZING

Fertilizing your Tillandsia is a good way to encourage rapid growth and blooms, but don’t overdo it. If you have access to rain or pond water, you can skip this step. We recommend fertilizing every two months at the most. You can use a normal bromeliad fertilizer in your water bath. If no water soluble fertilizer is available, use 1/4 of the recommended amount of any water soluble fertilizer as long as it does not contain urea-based nitrogen, which is preferable for only soil-grown plants.

NEW GROWTH “PUPS

Every air plant will only blossom once in its lifetime, which is unfortunate but true. After the flower has dried, you should cut off the entire flower stalk to promote new growth “Puppet.” Tillandsia “Pups” are just new plants that sprout from the plant’s base. They usually start growing two months after the mother plant or the main base of the plant stops blooming. You can twist and remove fresh pups away from the mother plant, or you can leave them on until they clump together and the mother plant dies and is replaced by the puppies. Before you remove the pups, make sure they are 1/3 to half the size of the mother plant.

How do I know if my air plant is healthy?

Tip: Keep an eye on your plants’ leaves to see whether they’re thirsty. Curly leaves are drier, and a healthy white fuzz on your plant indicates that it is healthy, not that it is drying out. Under-watering is also indicated by brown leaf tips and a withered appearance. Take note of how your plant appears following a nice soakhow does it compare to how it seems now? Because each plant is unique, pay attention to what it is teaching you right now.

How often should I soak my air plant?

On our Facebook page, we get a lot of queries on how to water air plants, so I wanted to elaborate a little. While Tillandsia (also known as air plants) are easier to care for than many other plant kinds, they do require some upkeep and TLC, and water plays an important role in their overall health. Here are some of the most common questions we hear about watering air plants, along with our answers:

This is largely determined by your climate and where you keep the air plants, as well as the Tillandsia species (learn more about mesic vs. xeric air plants here) and the type of environment in which it grows in nature. We reside in Tampa, FL, so it’s very humid here for the majority of the year, and we don’t run the heat in our house during the winter like our friends up North (I’m not trying to rub it in!). We water our plants twice a week on average, but individuals who live in drier climes will need to water more frequently. Depending on the time of year, you may discover that you need to water your plants less. It also depends on where you keep them in your house or office. A humid bathroom will keep the plants moist, but those near an air vent or heat source will need to be watered more frequently. (Please note that keeping your plants near heat sources is not recommended.)

Note that, while humidity might slow the drying process, it is not a suitable watering method in and of itself!

Again, you’ll want to adapt your watering methods based on your climate and air plant species, but we recommend soaking your plants in water at least once a week for MOST air plants and settings. You can use anything that allows you to totally submerge the air plants, such as a bowl, bucket, or your sink. Soak them for 30-60 minutes at least once a week, and every other week if you live in a dry area, give them a longer soak for an hour or more. If you live in a humid environment or have a xeric air plant, you may want to cut the soak time in half.

After bathing, make sure the air plants are completely dry. Turn them over and softly shake them, or lay them out to dry with the leaves down. Allowing water to remain in the leaves can cause the plants to decay. The plants should be placed in an area with sufficient air circulation and should be able to dry entirely in 4 hours. If your plants are housed in a globe or terrarium, ensure sure they are thoroughly dry before bringing them back home!

You’ll notice how wide and open the leaves are after soaking them, and how much more “happy” they appear. This is how a properly hydrated air plant should seem! If the color turns slightly dull and the leaves begin to close/curl over time, this is an indication that your Tillandsia is thirsty, and you should give them another soak. If your air plant is in desperate need of water, soak it for several hours or overnight to see if you can rehydrate it. Before soaking or spraying them again, make sure they have a chance to dry thoroughly.

It’s also a good idea to spray the plants in between waterings. If you live in a dry area, this might be a terrific method to keep plants healthy and offer them some additional attention. Unless you have one of the few varieties of air plants that like low moisture, such as the T. tectorum (which we only propose misting) or the T. xerographica, misting is not a substitute for a proper soak (which we recommend dunking instead of soaking).

When it comes to water, air plants aren’t picky, and most tap water is good, but it all depends on the water quality in your location. Because these waters are more nutrient-dense, the best water to use is rain water, aquarium water, or pond water (note: if using one of these waters, don’t add any additional fertilizer). If you’re using tap water, let it out for a few hours to allow the chlorine to disperse (maybe 24 hours in some areas.)

Do not use distilled water because it is too “clean” for these plants and will deprive them of the nutrients they require. Also, avoid using artificially softened water because it contains too much salt for Tillandsia.

We recommend soaking your air plants in the morning to ensure that they dry completely throughout the day, as well as because air plants utilize the evening to breathe carbon dioxide and will be unable to do so if they are wet in the evenings.

This is known as CAM, and you can learn more about it in our page on how air plants breathe. You can check on them before going to bed and put them back in their terrariums or displays if you expose them to some indirect sunlight.

These are the most frequently asked questions about watering air plants. Did we respond to your question? If you’re not sure, just ask! Are you looking for more information on how to care for air plants? Visit our Air Plant Care page for more information.