Have a dead or dying air plant? Watering is typically the reason why your air plant is limp, drab, or a little brown. In fact, these symptoms may indicate that it is extremely thirsty! This air plant care guide will show you how to revive a sick air plant that has been a bit neglected, shipped from a very, very far away place, or is simply looking a little under the weather!
How can I tell whether my air plants are still alive?
The leaves of a healthy air plant should range in color from green to gray. The plant should not break when you lift it up. In other words, leaves should not fall from an air plant that is healthy.
You can do a variety of things to resuscitate a plant. Here are the steps I take to aid in the recovery of my air plants’ health.
Give the Air Plant an Overnight Soak
When I’m trying to revive an air plant, I always start by watering it. Keep in mind that although air plants don’t need soil, that doesn’t imply they don’t need water. Water is a necessity for all living things, even air plants.
Since air plants don’t have roots, they must instead collect moisture and water through their leaves because they lack soil. I’ve heard it much too often that garden centers advise misting air plants with water a few times per week. This is not enough water, in my opinion, and the plant will become thirsty. Sadly, if this persists for a long enough period of time, the air plant will die.
How Long Should I Soak my Air Plant?
I give my air plants an hour-long bath to make sure they receive the water they need. I do this on a weekly basis during the summer when it’s warmer and roughly every three weeks throughout the winter. I enjoy using rainwater because I live in a rainforest. But you can also use regular tap water! To let the chlorine vaporize, simply leave the water out for 24 hours.
Simply take the air plant out of its current container and place it in a bowl of water after that. The basin needs to be big enough for the plant to fully submerge. After a half-hour or so, remove it from the bath. To make sure that water isn’t gathering in your air plant’s leaves while it’s upside down, give it a couple gentle shakes. After that, return the plant to its location. It’s that simple!
Make Sure Your Air Plant has Air!
Even though it might seem simple, your air plant requires oxygen to survive. There are numerous pictures of air plants being kept in tightly sealed jars floating about, and they make me scoff since plants cannot survive in that kind of environment!
The answer is simple.
You can continue to preserve your adorable jar terrarium, but be careful to keep the lid slightly ajar or open to allow air to flow freely.
Remove Dead Leaves
A sick air plant should also have any dead leaves removed by gently tugging on them to check if they fall off. They are dead if they are simple to remove. Unfortunately, you have a dead air plant that has already perished if the entire plant crumbles when you do this.
Your air plant will survive, though, if only a few leaves fall off and the interior leaves are green and healthy-looking.
Look at the Tips of Your Air Plant
Try using rainwater or unchlorinated water as mentioned above if the tips of your air plant are starting to turn brown. Your plant may not be getting enough water if you are not giving them chlorine yet they are still turning brown.
After giving them an overnight bath, make sure you give them baths more frequently.
What if my Air Plant Falls Apart?
You have a dead air plant on your hands if your green air plant just falls apart. This probably happened as a result of spending too much time in water that was left standing or from not adequately shaking off after a bath.
Reread the section about watering, and the next one will undoubtedly go more smoothly.
Can a dead air plant be revived?
Most people will at some point in their adventure of cultivating tillandsias wonder how to revive their air plants. Finding the source of the problem is the first step in saving any air plant. After that, you can take the necessary steps to address the issue that is harming your air plant.
Your air plant may occasionally start to seem very white or gray. A naturally green air plant that is going very white or gray could be an early symptom of your air plant drying, even though it is typical for your air plants to be covered in a coat of white or gray hair or trichromes in most circumstances.
When your air plant becomes extremely white or gray, the good news is that it is not dying. When the air plant is dehydrated, the trichromes are simply becoming more noticeable and making the plant appear paler than usual.
A dry air plant can be brought back to life by soaking in water for 5-8 hours. After soaking, shake out any excess water, and let your air plant to dry out in 4 hours. Up until the plant no longer appears dry, repeat the prolonged soaking every two to three days.
If your air plant is drying out again after being rejuvenated with a series of prolonged soaks, check the light, temperature, and humidity conditions of the immediate area.
To assist your air plant maintain moisture, place it away from direct or extremely bright indirect light. Around 5090 F is the ideal temperature for air plants. If you subject your air plant to severely cold or hot temperatures, it could be difficult to recover it. It’s possible for the air plant to become too dry to survive in extreme temperatures.
The air plant’s brown or black leaves are often an indication of root decay. When air plants are not completely dried off after watering, they might get root rot. The air plant is prone to fungus infections that irreversibly harm the plant cells when the leaves are frequently damp. The air plant would eventually turn brown or black as a result of these dead cells.
As soon as you notice the brown or black leaves, you can carefully remove those leaves to revitalize your air plant and stop the infection from spreading. To prevent root rot, keep the air plant in a place with sufficient airflow and allow it to dry out promptly after each watering.
The air plant may perish in severe cases of root rot that have reached the plant’s center. You will need to try again with a fresh plant if the root rot is so severe that the plant begins to fall apart.
It can take some trial and error to understand how to grow air plants. The most frequent explanation for “why is my air plant dying” is root rot as a result of the air plant not drying out correctly. Air plants might wither from dryness, lack of light, or lack of nutrients in the water.
To lessen the likelihood of root rot in the future, you might try several techniques and situate your air plant somewhere with more air movement.
How does an air plant that has been dried out appear?
Xerographica air plants don’t require much water to survive, but if they don’t get enough, they will become dehydrated and start to exhibit symptoms like; looking a little dull; the tips of the leaves are drying up; and they are beginning to u-shape and become droopy at the same time.
There’s no need to freak out if you notice these symptoms in your air plant because it’s simple to save a dehydrated air plant. Simply adhere to the guidelines listed below, and they ought to quickly begin to thrive once more!
- Your air plant’s dead portions should be removed.  
- Put it in a bowl of water and soak it there for a minimum of 5-8 hours.
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- Instead of through their roots, air plants absorb water through their leaves. So make sure the water is completely covering all of the leaves.
- Use unchlorinated or rainwater whenever possible, especially if you see that the tips of the plant’s leaves are already turning brown. There is a good probability that your air plant is still not getting enough water if the leaves are turning brown even though you are not giving them water that has chlorine in it.
How can a dead air plant be revived?
It all comes down to watering, or more specifically, drainage, when an air plant is dying of rot. Although they do not like to stay wet, air plants need to be watered by misting or soaking in water. The plant needs to be given time to dry after being soaked or misted. Fungus takes hold and the plant dies if the plant’s center is left damp.
Regardless of how you water your air plant, after you’re done, make sure to tilt the plant so that water can drain and give it about four hours to fully dry off. This can be done using a dish drainer or by turning the plant over onto a dish cloth.
Although different types of air plants require varied amounts of watering, none of them should be immersed for extended periods of time. Last but not least, to promote adequate airflow and lessen the possibility of an air plant going bad, if your air plant is in a terrarium or other container, leave the lid off.
How long does an air plant live?
Perennial plants are tillandsias, also referred to as air plants. According to the source, they have a lifespan of between two and five years, which indicates that they normally survive longer than two years.
The type of air plant and the growing conditions have an impact on how long they live, though. They reside in deserts, on various surfaces, and on tree branches in their natural habitat (other surfaces they can grow on).
Air plants only experience one flowering during their existence, which marks the culmination of their development and maturity.
Depending on the species, the flowers might remain in bloom for a number of months. However, the air plant will begin to die when the blossoms start to wilt and fade. Air plants develop pups or offsets before they die to carry on the same growth cycle.
Despite the mother plant dying, you can take the pups out and raise them separately. Separating the pups from the mother is referred to as “division is a method of air plant propagation.
As an alternative, you might leave those puppies grouped together ” (also known as “tillandsia balls).
Do air plants hibernate at all?
Do you want to buy air plants but have been putting it off because you don’t know how to take care of them? Or perhaps you’ve had air plants before that didn’t thrive for whatever reason. In general, air plants may require less upkeep than other indoor plants, but they still need care and attention. Judy, our resident expert on indoor plants, provided advice on how to take care of air plants (Tillandsia).
Tillandsia is the perfect plant for someone who dislikes getting their hands dirty. This sleek-looking plant doesn’t need soil to survive, and (added bonus) it doesn’t need much care either. The majority of the time, if you place them in the appropriate location, they will do their own thing and simply sit there and be adorable. In terms of placement options, they are likewise incredibly adaptable. They DO need SOME care, so continue reading if all of this makes sense to you.
Placement
Tillandsia may be planted almost anyplace. One common option for Tillandsia is in a beautiful glass globe, such as the one you can see above (and won’t you feel fancy?!). Other choices include in/on.
- an ornamental dish (filled with sand or not)
- ceramic or porcelain
- a seashell
- driftwood
To fasten an air plant to something, you can also use twist ties, wire, waterproof adhesive (like Liquid Nails), or staples (but be careful not to staple fleshy sections). Remember that fastening your Tillandsia to something might alter how you water it. As long as there is sufficient light, whatever location you discover that you believe will work would probably be OK. This leads us to lighting.
Lighting
Tillandsia should be placed in a bright area, but not in the sun. More light can be tolerated if there is high humidity in the room or area. If you’d like, you can place the Tillandsia outside on your deck, patio, or porch (but again, not in direct sun). Some plants can thrive in low to moderate light, but if you see that one is struggling, you might want to shift it to an area with more light. Keep in mind that if your Tillandsia is in a glass globe, the glass will enhance the heat and light, which could cause it to dry up more quickly. This leads us to watering.
Watering
Even though they don’t need as much water as many houseplants, air plants still need water. How frequently your Tillandsia needs water may vary depending on where it is. Your Tillandsia won’t require as much watering if it’s in a humid environment.
When watering your Tillandsia, the type of water you use is crucial. You must use water that is nutrient- and mineral-rich since tillandsia obtain their nutrition from water rather than soil. Although rainwater is a great option, you should utilize non-chlorinated water if you don’t have access to rainwater (well water or spring water). You shouldn’t utilize water that has been treated or distilled by your town or city.
As a general rule, water your Tillandsia in the summer by immersing it in water for around 20 minutes every 7 to 10 days. Put the entire plant under water and give it a good bath. To dry the Tillandsia after soaking, set it on paper towels or a towel and let it air dry fully before putting it back in the container you usually keep it in. Normally, this will take two to three hours. If your Tillandsia is in an area that is particularly humid, you can typically get away with misting it rather than immersing it in water. However, you’ll still need to remove it from its packaging so that you can dry it. (In the photo below, Judy also had a fan blowing on these.)
Tillandsia does “become dormant in the winter, so it will not require as much water,” like other indoor plants do. Giving Tillandsia a nice misting every two weeks should be plenty. Remember to wait until it is totally dry before putting it in a container. (Speaking of winter, Tillandsia looks stunning on a Christmas tree in a glass ornament! Did you know that we also sell Christmas trees?
Fertilizing
Like any other plant, Tillandsia will flourish if you can fertilize it occasionally. You can use the fertilizer we have on hand (seen above), but you can also use bromeliad (17-8-22) or orchid fertilizer. As you would if you were watering it, combine the fertilizer and water (follow the preparation instructions on the fertilizer). Once more, let it air dry. You should fertilize your garden twice a month. (TIP: You can water and fertilize your Tillandsia at the same time if you have a fish tank or pond; further fertilizer is not necessary.)