AIR PLANTS - CARE & KEEPING
THE BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO:
Air plants (Tillandsia) are known to be one of the easiest plants to keep as long as you follow a few simple rules:
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Do NOT over water. Your air plant is better to be too dry than too wet; remember air plants can survive long drought periods. If there is an excess of water your air plant will develop rot and fall apart. The rule of thumb is to only mist lightly 1-2 times a week but depending on the environment it could be more or less. If your plant looks especially dry you can soak the leaves of the plant (NOT the base) by flipping the plant upside down for 20 minutes in a bowl of de-chlorinated water (NOT distilled water) you can de-chlorinate water by letting the water stand in a open container for 24 hours.
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Provide the right environment. Most air pants thrive in a bright location (both direct and indirect sun is acceptable) or under fluorescent lighting where there is a lot of air circulation to keep the plant from remaining too wet for too long. Optimal temperature range is between15°C and 32°C
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Pay attention to your air plant, does it look more silvery and curly than usual? Well then, it’s probably dehydrated so you should mist it! Is it a bright green? Well then, you should wait a couple days before watering.
How to Care for your Air Plant
Unlike the name suggests, air plants require more then just air; they require water. Since the roots of air plants are purely there for support and to secure the plant to its surroundings air plants have developed their own unique way of absorbing water and nutrients. Air plants have an abundance of trichomes (which are the small white flakes that are visible on the plants) these structures act to increase surface area for absorption of nutrients and water.
Another way air plants differ from common plants is that they grow through a process referred to as the CAM cycle. CAM plants close their stomata in the daytime to reduce water loss and at night they open their stomata to absorb carbon dioxide, which is then used in photosynthesis during the day.
These adaptions make air plants very tolerant of drought!
The Science behind Air Plants
