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Light is essential for your air plant’s health. Without enough light, the plant’s leaves won’t be able to absorb water or nutrients properly, which can cause the plant to fade and eventually die.
Indoors:
Tillandsias do well indoors, but they need bright, indirect light. Place your plant near a window with plenty of morning or late afternoon sun. Fluorescent lighting will be fine for a while, but will not be enough to sustain the plants, so a bright window is recommended.
Outdoors:
If you keep your plant outside, it can handle more sunlight due to better air circulation, but avoid harsh afternoon sun, which can burn and kill your plant. Growing under the roof of a verandah, under a tree where it gets dappled light all day or in a greenhouse under 40 to 50% shade cloth is ideal, and the plant will thrive. Just make sure it gets plenty air movement.
When you receive your plant, it is advised to dip it in a bucket of water for a few seconds, shaking it around under water, to ensure it is properly hydrated after its journey. Ensure the plant is thoroughly dry before moving it to its new location.
When in their new home, you may notice the death of the lower leaves. This is perfectly normal, and they can simply be cut off with scissors.
I always spray new plants with Novion, to give them that extra boost. Spray all over the plant, including the undersides of the leaves.
One of the MOST common mistakes made is over-watering!
Avoid water that is artificially softened such as RO or distilled water. If using tap water, allow the water to sit at room temperature for a few hours to ensure that the chlorine dissipates before watering your plants.
Grey, stiff-leaved Tillandsias like Xerographica) usually need less water than the softer, green, or thin-leaved varieties, and prefer a quick dunk in water, rather than a soak, but most plants will do well with weekly watering.
If growing indoors: it is recommended that you soak the plants in a bucket of water for 5 to 10 minutes every week. Daily misting is not enough and cannot replace weekly watering schedules. The exception to this is T. Tectorum. They are more than happy with a light spray every week and do NOT like to be submerged.
Be sure to shake off all excess water after soaking, as any water left in your plant leaves can cause rot. (Drying them upside down helps greatly with this.) “Bulbous” species like T. Ccaput Medusae, T. Bulbosa, T. Pruinosa, T. Pseudobaileyi, T. Butzii, and T. Seleriana are particularly prone to rot if water pools in the “bulb” base.
If growing outdoors: The best way to water is to use a hose sprinkler or watering can, and wet the plants as you would normal garden watering. Again, ensure that no water is left in the crown / leaf growth section of the drier species like Xerographica and the bulbous species mentioned above.
ALWAYS water your plants in the morning to give them ample time to dry during the day. Cold and Wet plants are synonymous with Rot.
This is a guideline only and must be tweaked based on your own climate. If it’s hot and dry, water more often. If it’s wet and rainy, cut back.
Tillandsias are remarkable and hold such an attraction because they are just that, Air Plants. The roots are only used to anchor the plant. They do not absorb water or nutrients through the roots, as this is done solely through the leaves.
You can attach them to pretty much anything such as an ornament, or piece of wood, or just hang them in the air on string. If attaching to something use thin flexible plastic-coated garden wire or stretch cotton. Do not use copper wire as these leach toxins and will kill your plant. Wood glue works well if attached to rocks or any similar substrate. (Remember that rocks get VERY hot, so ensure they stay in the shade.) Do NOT use silicone or Cable glue.
Check out my Blog on the many creative ways one can display your plants.
A great way to display larger plants is to cut the bottom of a plastic plant pot out, invert the pot, and place the plant therein. This also keeps the hanging leaves off the ground showcasing those magnificent curls that plants like Xerographica and Streptophylla are known for. :-)
Certain species such as the Wallisia, Flaballata and Kirchoffiana can be grown in the air, but they full out, and look better when planted in small pots. Fulling these pots with Orchid Back mix is suitable, just be careful of over-watering as the bark stays moist for quite a while. If displayed in Orchid Mix, allow the mix to dry out completely before watering again. It’s easy to overwater if sticking to your regular watering schedule so ensure bark media is dry completely, or you can get “Root Rot”
Since Tillandsia absorb all their nutrients through their leaves, they will really benefit from a mild foliar spray like Novion, and a standard high-nitrogen liquid plant fertilizer, which can be sprayed directly onto the leaves. Spray weekly with Novion and twice a month with fertilizer during the active growing periods, and reduce this to once a month during winter..
Novion or Air Plant Fertilizer can be purchased from the Accessories page.
Air plants are commonly infected by Mealybugs and Scale insects. They are usually found around the stems and leaves, and mostly get attracted to an air plant that is dying.
To avoid your air plant being infected by disease or pest infestation, it is best to give a through inspection when watering. If an infected plant is found, isolate it to prevent infecting others and spray with a mild Insecticide.
I recommend Rosecare 3 by Efekcto as this utilizes both a systemic and contact insecticide and is mild enough not to “hurt” the plant.
This needs to be sprayed on the plant every week for 3 weeks if the infestation is really bad.
While some varieties can withstand lower temperatures, it is better to be safe than sorry. Most air plants are tropical, so prefer temperatures between 10 to 30 degrees Celsius.
If your winter temperatures drop below 10 degrees Celsius and your plants are growing outdoors, bring them indoors and keep them in a bright sunny, warm window. If you are growing in a greenhouse, ensure it is tightly closed up at night to retain heat.
Most will die if exposed to extreme cold.
Don’t underestimate the importance of air movement. This is the second biggest mistake people make, next to over-watering.
They are called Air plants for a reason. They need Air movement just as much as you and I need air to breathe.
Air circulation is one of the most important aspects of an air plant’s care. Air plants have Trichomes (like the hair on your arms) which assist them in absorbing moisture and nutrients from the air. Airflow is also important as it helps the plant dry out after watering, thus preventing rot.
Keeping your plant near an open window will have a significant benefit.
Tillandsia air plants do not go through a traditional winter dormancy period like some other plants. However, they do experience a seasonal slowdown in colder months, especially if temperatures drop significantly.
Here’s what typically happens in winter:
Tips for Winter Care:
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