Plants that live without soil: air plants

What are air plants?

Air plants are able to live and grow mostly from the humidity, which is why they only need little care. The plant species is an epiphyte and does not have roots, as it originally grows on other plants and trees. In the wild, air plants take in their nutrients from humidity and rain. This happens with help of the trichomes; the white little structures on the leaves of the plant. These trichomes mediate the process of absorbing water leading to more efficiency in the process. Airplants do not need any soil in order to grow or flourish. That’s right, an air plant could also bloom a purple and yellow flower in exceptional cases. Specific species will also be turning into a red color in their flowering stage.

Where do airplants grow?

These special plants grow mainly in the tropics, e.g. in Central- and South-America. Our airplants are grown from cuttings or seed.

How old is an air plant?

The majority of the plants you’ll find, is more than two years old. An exception is the Tillandsia xerographica, which we have from 2 up to 8 years old.

Tillandsia and air plants, how do these two relate?

In essence, both names point out the same plant species. Tillandsia is the name of the genus, where the name airplants is being used for the Tillandsia species that are able to grow without soil.

How many different species of air plants are there?

There are over 500 different air plants! The most common species are the Tillandsia ionantha, Tillandsia abdita, Tillandsia multiflora, Tillandsia juncea, Tillandsia caput medusae, Tillandsia magnusiana, Tillandsia circinata, Tillandsia harrisii, Tillandsia schiedeana, Tillandsia usneoides and of course the Tillandsia xerographica (also known as the king of air plants). But, we have lots and lots of other Tillandsia species in our assortment, which can be found here (You have to login to see prices). 
Lots of our airplants and their stories can also be found on our informational website www.takeairplants.info.

How do I take care of my air plant?

In general, air plants require little care. Though, it is important that you spray them regularly. It is recommended to spray your air plant once every two weeks with colder days and once every week during warmer days, preferably with our air plants care spray. Also, soaking the air plants monthly in water for 120-180 minutes is very much appreciated, after this you should let the airplants dry out completely. We advise you to begin this soaking method right after your purchase if the air plants don’t have their healthy look. It is recommended to repeat this soaking method again if the air plant starts to lose their healthy look. Airplants can be put inside as well as outside with a temperature between 5 and 35 degrees Celsius. The plants do not like to be put in full sun, but do like to have a bright spot.