Air plants – why they’re awesome and how to care for them.

Air plants are amazing. They don’t need dirt to live, they’re hardy and they are great conversation pieces (if you have green thumb friends – other friends are not so impressed).
Air plants or Tillys (short for tillandsia – their botanical name) are epiphytes, which means that they can grow without being planted in the ground. This is awesome because it means you can be very creative with them. We have them in glass globes, but I’ve seen them in vertical gardens, living arrangements and stuck to curly branches as a kind of living installation.
Air plants are hardy and will last for years – but do need some care. When you first lay your hands on your air plant, give it a good water by soaking in a bowl for 20-30 minutes. Then let it dry completely – especially if yours is living in a glass globe like ours do. Air plants like bright, filtered light. It is important to keep them out of direct sunlight or they are likely to dehydrate and may dry out to the point of no return. Spritz your air plant with one or two sprays of water every 4 or 5 days (they may need a little more if it is very hot or less in the middle of winter). Once every couple of weeks give your air plant a soak for 30 minutes. Remember to let it dry if you are putting it into a glass globe.

Most importantly, air plants don’t like to be over-watered. Never let water pool in the bottom of your globe.