Be cautious to monitor the blooming process of your plant. The reason for this is because you need to start the process as soon as you can because air plant blooms don’t live very long. You can pollinate your air plant after its blossom has opened.
Take a small, soft-bristled brush or q-tip and rub the pollen from the stamen (the male part) onto the top of the stalk, which will be the female stalk, to pollinate your air plant.
Rub it on the flower’s portion to promote self-pollination. Alternately, to cross-pollinate, rub pollen from one flower on the female stalk of another air plant. To prevent forgetting which plants you have pollinated, be cautious to record your actions (or cross-pollinated).
Collecting air plant seeds after pollination
After your air plant has been pollinated, you will typically have to wait 2-3 months, but occasionally up to 10 months, for the seed pods to mature and open/burst.
Pods are long and elongated, and they are typically brown in color. The release of the seeds is then visible. They may be picked up with tweezers and started to grow right immediately (read about that in this post).
Wrapping the pods of your air plant with a small piece of gauze or cheesecloth is a fantastic way to prevent seed loss. To improve the likelihood that they will germinate, air plant seeds are made to easily fly (like parachutes).
Even if you regularly check on your air plants, one of the pods could open and the seeds could scatter. They can be kept seed-filled by wrapping them in a fine filter cloth.
One plant will yield many seeds, so you are welcome to share them with friends and family. Additionally, seeds can be kept in the refrigerator for one to two months, but after that time, they must be germinated to prevent spoilage. Within a week of collecting, sow the air plant seeds while they are still alive.
Pollination is required by air plants?
An air plant will begin to focus its efforts on producing puppies once it has blossomed. In our post on air plant propagation, we go into more detail on pups. The ability of air plants to produce seed pods and seeds may surprise you. Only when a Tillandsia bloom has been pollinated do seed pods develop. If not, the plant will only produce pups instead of seeds.
Some plants are said to be “self-incompatible,” which means they can’t pollinate themselves and need pollinators to do it for them. T. caput medusae and T. streptophylla are two air plants that are self-incompatible and require pollinators. In the rainforest, you might encounter bees, wasps, flies, hummingbirds, other tropical birds, and even some bats as common pollinators. However, because air plants are special in that they can reproduce without pollination, you shouldn’t bother about pollinating yours.
How are air plants propagated?
Tillandsia-family members known as air plants reproduce similarly to other flowering plants. Flowers are produced, which facilitates pollination and the development of seeds. In addition, air plants can generate pups, which are new, smaller plants.
Even if the plant isn’t pollinated, pups of the air plant will still develop. But there won’t be any seeds if there isn’t pollination. In the natural, air plants are pollinated by wind, insects, birds, and bats. While some species may self-pollinate, others need the assistance of other plants.
Are seeds produced by air plants?
Even though air plant seeds are tiny, they have what are known as parachutes or comas on top of them. Because of their fluffy parachute top, seeds can move around with the wind in the natural world. Brown seeds with a fluffy top will predominate.
Brown seed pods will also grow where the blossoms formerly did. The seed pod will resemble a cotton puff once it has opened up. The seeds can then be separated using tweezers. They resemble dandelion seeds somewhat.
In order to avoid being readily swept away by strong rains, most seeds in nature are dispersed right before a rainy season. They land in places where germination is more likely to succeed, such as on cliffs, trees, and other locations.
Please see this post if you’d want to learn more about how to pollinate the flowers of air plants and how seeds develop.
How to grow air plants from seed?
Gather seeds to begin the germination process. Some seeds will begin to sprout within the seed pods (you will notice small green nubbins on them).
The next step is to get a sizable dish (the larger, the better, depending on how many seeds you have) and some substrate ready. Make sure to space your seeds widely apart. This will give the plants more time to grow before you need to divide them. Tillandsia seedlings that are too small can break easily.
The optimal substrate for tillandsia sowing should have adequate moisture capacity and be able to drain well. Select a sizable, transparent container and fill it with the substrate. As stagnant air will kill seedlings, make sure to let adequate air exchange.
Step 1: Soak the seeds
Some seeds, as was already noted, will begin to gently sprout even while still inside seed pods. If they have begun to sprout, you will notice tiny green nubbins or points on them.
Observe the seeds after removing them from the seed pods. You can move on if you spot green nubbins.
However, if your seeds appear dry and browned, soak them for about 14 days in warm water in a plastic or deli container (some might take up to 3-4 weeks to germinate). Make sure to have holes in them while keeping the lid on. Additionally, open the lid occasionally to let air flow.
Keep seeds out of water for no more than four weeks. By now, hopefully, you will notice green nubbins; remove them and place them in a growing medium.
Step 2: Spread them
It is difficult to separate the seeds of air plants, which is one of the main difficulties. To ensure that you can see all of the seeds clearly, spread your seeds out on the table, preferably against a dark background.
The puffy coma portion, which is the top portion, will have seeds on the bottom. Use a magnifying lens and tweezers if required to carefully separate each seed.
Step 3: Place seeds on a growing medium
After around two weeks, the seeds should be planted on a growing medium to continue growing. The material you choose should be able to retain moisture without getting overly soggy.
Make sure to leave as much space between seeds when laying them. You can prevent having to separate them when they are fragile by doing this. When choosing a substrate or growing environment for your air plant seeds, consider:
How can air plants be made to bloom?
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.
Do all air plants produce young?
How exciting to know that your wonderful Tillandsia will eventually create their own air plant offspring! The name puppies, which is a term of endearment for these “baby” air plants, is just the cutest thing ever.
Did you know that raising puppies is the preferred method for air plant enthusiasts to expand their plant collections? Yes, air plant enthusiasts worldwide can grow their very own puppy nursery. Additionally, puppies always grow into their mother plant’s traits.
In the correct circumstances, all Tillandsia species will give birth to pups in a relatively short period of time. Knowing what to look for—nodes at the mother plant’s base—and when/how to separate the pups from the mother plant are all that are required. It’s also crucial to make sure that the mother plant and the pups receive enough sunlight and water continuously.
Pups should start to grow soon after your plants’ first bloom cycle. Typically, your Tillandsia won’t produce its first bloom for up to six months. It’s important to keep in mind that some air plant species may require several years to blossom.
The magic starts to happen once your plants have blossomed. Small nodes can be seen at the base of your plant. This indicates that the young plants have begun to appear!
It’s critical that you continue to care for the mother plant as usual during this period. But always remember to treat the puppies with care. As they begin their life’s adventure, they might be rather fragile.
Once the puppies are about a fifth the size of their mother plant, you must divide them.
Laying the mother plant carefully on its side will allow you to clip away the pups with a sharp kitchen knife or good pair of garden sheers. After finishing this procedure, you are ready to launch your very own air plant farm!
You should give the cut-off point on the mother plant and the pup a few days to harden off.
Your plants will begin to recover from their separation at this time. They might have developed a distinctive (lopsided) morphology when they were growing alongside their mother. Your pup’s shape and size will begin to become more uniform during the next few months. As they are still fairly sensitive, wait to feed the pup plant food until they have been apart for at least three months. Throughout the duration, continue to water as usual.
The longevity and simplicity of growing air plants are two of its best qualities. They only require a little sunlight and water every so often; they don’t require soil. And as you’ve seen, raising your air plant pups is also very easy. You’ll soon see a handful of puppies arrive with a little TLC!
See for yourself how lovely air plants may be by looking at our collection of them and their young.