Tillandsia: How To Care For Your Air Plant

Air plants are true artists. Their small wiry roots do not serve to absorb nutrients and water. Thus, the small plants merely hold on tightly. How the Tillandsia absorbs water and how you can keep these fascinating plants in your home in a simple but original way, we explain here!

The genus Tillandsia


The genus Tillandsia includes about 500 species. They come in intense shades of green to a glossy gray. If you take care of it, you will be rewarded with a beautiful filigree flower, which will stay for three months. The air plant belongs to the pineapple family and has small wiry roots. With these it clings to the ground and can be found on dead tree parts, telephone wires, roofs, walls or simply on the ground. A tillandsia is found in tropical rainforests, but also desert regions.

About suction sheds, lime and spray bottles


A rule of thumb is that the greener your tillandsia, the less sun and more water it needs. So, if you have purchased an air plant, first do some research to find out what kind it is. Then water it accordingly. Since tillandsias do not have roots to absorb water, they absorb nutrients and water through tiny suction scales on their leaves. Such suction scales work something like this: if the plant needs water, they open to take in water from the air, rain or dew, thus also filtering out the needed minerals. However, these filigree suction scales tend to stick together due to the lime in our tap water.

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To water your Tillandsie you can use rainwater, distilled water or long boiled water. So that your plants do not suffer from cold shock, your water should be at room temperature. Here you get now short and crisp instructions for watering your air plant:

Variant 1: wet with a spray bottle


Grab a spray bottle and fill it with rainwater, distilled water or boiled water.
Now take your air plant in your hand and spray it from all sides so that it gets nice and wet.
Place your air plant on a piece of paper to dry
When it is completely dry, you can put it back to its original place.


Variant 2: Immerse tillandsia


Since air plants do not like calcareous water, it is best to fill a container with rainwater, distilled water or boiled water.


Here it depends on the size of your plant, it should fit at least halfway into the container.
Now you dip your Tillandsie for 10 seconds in the water
Then place it on a sheet of paper to dry
When it is completely dry, you can put it back to its original place.


Are you on vacation for the next three weeks? No problem! Such a period without water and nutrients is quite normal for a tillandsia. When you come back, just spray it heavily and then deal with it as usual. To provide your air plant with nutrients, add bromeliad fertilizer in half concentration to the spray water once a month. That’s all it needs! So if you like to travel, such a small air plant is an ideal survivor in your four walls.

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  • James Jones

    Meet James Jones, a passionate gardening writer whose words bloom with the wisdom of an experienced horticulturist. With a deep-rooted love for all things green, James has dedicated his life to sharing the art and science of gardening with the world. James's words have found their way into countless publications, and his gardening insights have inspired a new generation of green thumbs. His commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship shines through in every article he crafts.

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