Air Plant
A plant with no soil at all. Air plants sit on a shelf, in a bowl, or on a piece of driftwood and take everything they need from light, air and a regular soak in the sink. Pet-safe and small enough to keep a dozen.
Air plants are bromeliads that gave up on soil. In the wild they cling to tree branches and drink through scales on their leaves. Indoors that means no pot, no potting mix, and a weekly bath instead of a watering can.
The silver, fuzzy types like xerographica are the desert-adapted ones and the easiest here. The smooth green types want more water and humidity.
Light
Bright indirect light. Near an east window is ideal. The silvery types take some direct sun; the green types scorch in it. A bathroom with a window is a happy spot.
Water
Once a week, submerge the plant in room-temperature water for twenty to thirty minutes. Shake off the excess and set it upside down on a towel to dry for a few hours before putting it back. Water trapped in the centre rots it. Misting between soaks helps in dry air but does not replace the soak. Use filtered or rain water.
Soil and potting
None. Mount it on wood, sit it in a glass or a dish, or wire it to a frame. Never bury the base in moss or soil, which holds water against it and rots it.
Feeding
Add a bromeliad or air plant fertiliser at quarter strength to the soak water every six weeks in spring and summer.
Propagation
Pups. After flowering the plant produces one or more offsets at the base. Leave them attached for a fuller clump, or twist them off when they are a third of the parent's size.
In a hot, dry home
The silver xerographica types were made for dry air and do well here. The thin green types struggle in AC. Soak everything weekly without fail in summer, and dry them thoroughly afterwards; the risk in a warm house is rot from trapped water, not thirst.
Problems and fixes
Base turning brown and mushy, leaves falling apart
Likely cause: Rot from water trapped in the centre
Fix: Usually fatal. Always dry the plant upside down after soaking, and never leave it sitting in water.
Leaves curling tightly, tips crisp
Likely cause: Thirst
Fix: Soak for longer and more often. Overnight soaks revive a badly dried plant.
Fading colour and soft leaves
Likely cause: Too little light
Fix: Move closer to a window.
Air Plant questions
How do I water an air plant?
Soak it in a bowl of water for twenty to thirty minutes once a week, shake it off, and dry it upside down for a few hours. Misting alone is not enough.
Are air plants safe for cats and dogs?
Yes. Tillandsias are non-toxic, though cats enjoy batting them around, so mount them somewhere secure.
Do air plants flower?
Yes, once, often with a bright pink or purple bloom. After flowering the plant produces pups and slowly fades, which is normal.
