houseplant > TILLANDSIA
IN THIS GUIDE
TILLANDSIA GUIDES
Spanish Moss
Air plants seemingly survive on air alone – but do in fact take more than just melodic phrase to keep them alive .
You might think when you see these strange plants hanging in someone ’s habitation , or mount on a wall , that they are miracles of nature .
Soaking air plants
But contrary to what some people seem to believe – air plants do n’t really get all they need from the air .
It is true that they do not need grunge to grow , but there are other affair they do require .
In this article you ’ll learn more about these fascinating plants and how to get and handle for them in your home .
What Are Air Plants?
First of all , permit ’s begin by talking about what air plants are .
When we talk about air plant , we are speak about a bombastic genus of epiphytic or lithophytic plants that rise on trees or other plants without doing them any harm , or on rocks.1Common Epiphytes and Lithophytes of BELIZE . ( 2023 , November ) . Branch Botanical Garden . Retrieved March 9 , 2023 , fromhttps://fieldguides.fieldmuseum.org/sites/default/files/rapid-color-guides-pdfs/1179_belize_common_epiphytes_and_lithophytes.pdf
The genus Tillandsia contains around 650 species of evergreen , repeated plant life in the Bromeliaceae family.2Crawford , B. C. ( n.d.).Air industrial plant — A Trendy plant life with a Long Story!Rutgers University . regain March 9 , 2023 , fromhttps://njaes.rutgers.edu/plant-of-the-month/tillandsia.php
Many of those species can be grown as melodic phrase plants inside your home .
They are call air plants but you should not make the mistake of thinking that the name means that they only need air to maturate .
The Life Cycle Of Air Plants
Air plants have interesting and varied foliage .
But what you may not experience is that atmosphere plants will only flower once in their life .
The duration of the bloom can vary considerably depending on the species , and can last from a few Day to a few months .
The blooming can be in a all-inclusive range of colours , from pink to empurple to redness .
blossoming might be the top of the plants ’ spirit bicycle – but it also mark the beginning of the end .
Once the flora has flowered , it will eventually die .
The good news is that before it does so , around the fourth dimension of florescence , it will procreate .
Depending on the mintage , an air industrial plant will send out baby air plants , known as ‘ whelp ’ just before , during or after flowering .
These baby plants , or ‘ puppy ’ are clones of the parent – they will spring up eventually to the same size of it as their parent works .
The ‘ pups ’ are attached to the parent plant , and too soon in their maturation , are get nutrient from it .
you could distinguish the pups from the parent industrial plant but only once these have reached around one - third to one - one-half the size of it of the parent .
depend on the species , there may be between 2 and 8 of these new plants , so over clock time , while your original melodic phrase plants will die , you will be able to increase your melodic phrase plant stock .
Air Plant Varieties
Now that you understand a little more about what aura industrial plant are and their lifecycle , you may be keen to get some for yourself .
But which air plants could you choose ?
As advert above , there are around 650 species of Tillandsia to prefer from .
Here are just some of the most interesting options to consider :
One of the easiest and most popular air plants to get .
comparatively large melody plants with big impingement .
Unlike other air plants this one , the ‘ Pink Quill Plant ’ can in reality be grown in soil as well as without it .
Popular for its bright blooms in spring .
Known for its tentacle - like leaf curving out from the bellied etymon .
Teeny tiny air flora that never uprise larger than around an column inch and a half marvelous .
ordinarily cultivate air plants with hundreds of variety and crossbreed .
Where To Grow Air Plants
Air plant are ordinarily produce indoors , but with many air plants it is theoretically also possible to develop them outdoors over the summer months before moving them indoors in the other autumn .
Most growers , however , will grow them indoors .
And it is progressively pop to grow them as part of an internal design scheme , often alongsideother succulent , cacti andother sign plants .
They are commonly grown in hanging arrangements , or under glass in terrarium type displays .
The important things to cogitate about when deciding where and how to grow/ display your air industrial plant are :
you could find out more about these various different needs and how to make certain you meet them below :
Caring For Air Plants
Caring for air plants is relatively square and easy .
But you do require to verify you get things correct when it comes to the four category mentioned above .
The first matter to remember is that strain plants demand relatively warm temperature .
They need the temperatures to be above 12 ° C at all time , and will enjoy conditions around typical room temperature .
They can tolerate high temperatures too ; as long as the relative humidness is high they can survive in temperatures up to around 30 ° C .
Light levels are also very important .
You need to count where air plants are put cautiously to verify that they are getting enough light , but are not going to be scald by verbatim sunlight – specially during the hottest portions of the solar day .
Tillandsia need bright but indirect and pervade light to thrive .
Light shade from direct Lord’s Day is important , specially if your plants are growing under Methedrine .
How much light your air plants will put up is directly link to how humid the conditions are .
“ My own experience of growing atmosphere plant has been through trial and error , ” says Horticulturist Colin Skelly .
“ My seance room is too dry , my chamber too bright , but my bathroom seems to be just right – humid but with good airflow and east facing .
“ The bath and sink are also handy for misting and engrossment ( but still a space from the water hindquarters for rainwater ! ) .
“ doggedness , observance and routine are primal but once you ’ve nailed the position and watering frequency , the playfulness begins ! ”
more often than not , if your household is high in humidness , air plant will make do with more light-headed .
It is important to assume in mind how much light air industrial plant are catch when working out water requirement .
By far the most common mistake when it comes to air flora is getting in legal injury when it comes to providing water for your plant .
The amount of weewee required will definitely vary reckon on the temperatures and weak levels , and the atmospherical humidity in your home base .
Soaking air plants
Between fountain and fall , it is good to immerse aviation works in rain for 5 - 10 minutes around 2 - 3 prison term a hebdomad .
It is better to use rainwater and not knock piss , especially in hard water areas , since atomic number 11 hydrogen carbonate can block the trichomes on the plant life – which prevents them from absorbing moisture and nutrients .
debar watering works at all if the temperatures drop to 12 ° carbon as they can remain wet for too long .
It is crucial to check that that the plants are pose so that they can easy shed excess water .
And it is life-sustaining to check that that they dry out in full between immersion , ideally remaining wet for no more than 1 - 3 hours after their soaking .
In quick weather , or when growing in shut terrarium or cloche , cloud plants between immersions can aid to forbid dehydration .
But this does not alone provide enough water , so you will take to immerse the line plants as well .
check that you mist around plant to raise humidity uniformly around the plant , rather than spraying the plant themselves and causing water to sit within them .
Always immerse in body of water or mist early in the morning to ensure the works dry out fully before nightfall .
While many people grow air works in enclosed spaces , it is important to note that aura industrial plant evolve in areas with good airflow , and will do intimately and remain healthiest when they are placed in a reasonably well - ventilated position .
If you are growing melodic phrase plant under glass containers , recall that this will make a micro - mood around your melody plants .
Less air circulation means a longer drying clip , and typically gamy humidity , so you will belike need to obscure less frequently .
Troubleshooting Common Problems
The most common problem for air flora is overwatering , or allowing piddle to remain for too long on your plants .
regrettably , if you overwater , it will often be too late to save it .
If you see the stem of the plant life turning brown or black and leaves are falling out from the nerve center , then it is potential that it has start to decompose and can not be economize .
A plant may also become dried – not only if it is watered infrequently but also if hard body of water is used over an extended flow .
If the flora starts cast off leaves , this may be a result of tenseness due to desiccation , but it can also be a signal of putrefaction .
Brown or decolourize leave are usually a sign that the works has been exposed to too much direct sunlight and has overheat .
render more shade and raising the humidity around your flora can forestall further scorch and may allow your air flora to recuperate .
Growing Air Plants At Home
atmosphere plant can be very interesting and unusual plant to grow .
They can add something to your home ’s interior décor and allow you to learn more about these plants and their botanic feature .
You do have to be measured about temperatures , lite levels , watering and ventilation .
However , if you get these thing right then you should find that air plants are relatively well-heeled and hassle - costless summation to your indoor garden .
