Air plant care
Grows without soil, taking water through its leaves. (Tillandsia)
- Light
- Bright, indirect light
- Water
- Soak it in room-temperature water for 20 to 30…
- Cats
- Not on the ASPCA list
- Dogs
- Not on the ASPCA list
Care card
Light
Bright, indirect light.
Water
Soak it in room-temperature water for 20 to 30 minutes about once a week, then shake it and let it dry upside down.
Humidity
Likes bathroom humidity.
Soil and pot
No soil at all.
Feeding
An air-plant food in the soaking water once a month.
Through the year
Spring
Soak weekly as growth picks up.
Summer
In hot, dry weather, soak a little more often.
Autumn
Make sure it dries fully after each soak.
Winter
Dry indoor air: mist it between soaks.
Leaf trouble?
Why houseplant leaves turn yellow
Several yellow leaves at once usually mean the roots are staying wet. Feel the…How often to water a houseplant
There is no single weekly schedule. Water when that plant's soil says so, then…Brown tips and crispy edges
Brown tips usually mean dry air, a pot that dried out too far, or minerals in…Drooping houseplant leaves
Droop can mean thirst or roots that are too rotten to drink. Feel the soil…Fungus gnats and other small pests
Fungus gnats breed in mix that never dries. Letting the top layer dry, and…Background
Tillandsia is a genus of around 650 species of evergreen, perennial flowering plants in the family Bromeliaceae, native to the forests, mountains and deserts of the Neotropics, from northern Mexico and the southeastern United States to Mesoamerica and the Caribbean to central Argentina. Their leaves, more or less silvery in color, are covered with specialized cells (trichomes) capable of rapidly absorbing water that gathers on them. They are also commonly known as air plants because they obtain nutrients and water from the air, not needing soil for nourishment.
From Wikipedia’s article Tillandsia, by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sources
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control: toxic and non-toxic plants Pet safety
- Wikipedia: Tillandsia Background