Caring for Air Plants (Tillandsia)

Contrary to the popular misconception, air plants kept in the home need slightly more than air alone.  Like any other plant, water, light and air are all crucial to their growth.  They are however one of the easiest of all house plants to care for.  It is best to pay special attention to them for the first month in their new home while they acclimatise to their new environment.  Tillandsias thrive in nice bright positions away from direct sunlight.  Kitchens and bathrooms are ideal, however provided they receive enough light and adequate watering, they are suitable for any room in the home or office.  In addition to lighting, good air circulation is also important to prevent rot.

Keep away from direct heat sources such as fire and radiators to avoid drying the plants. Do not allow temperature to drop below 10ºC.

Owing to the lack of sufficient humidity in modern homes and offices, watering is vital to keep your plants healthy.  A simple misting a few times a week is quite sufficient, slightly more in the summer or in particularly dry weather.  Take a look at our range of suitable atomiser spray bottles.   Alternatively soaking them in water for a few hours once a week will allow them to soak up all they need (just be sure to let them drain fully as any excess water could cause them to rot).  To avoid a build up of heavy metals on the leaves, we recommend using distilled water or rainwater.  Like any other plant, air plants will let you know if they’re not getting enough water… if the ends of the leaves begin to curl more than usual or even turn brown, increase the watering.

We recommend a monthly feed by misting to help them thrive.  An air plant will inevitably continue to grow if its water, light and air requirements are met, but like any other plant, with a boost of the right nutrients they’ll do a lot better.  Used regularly our Air Plant Food encourages the healthy growth of air plants.

For information on growing Air Plants in terrariums and vivarium visit our other pages:

Growing Air Plants in terrariums

Growing Air Plants in vivariums