Tillandsia Caput-Medusae in a wood display

Tillandsia caput-medusae only uses its roots to cling to high trees or rocks. Since the exotic bromeliad does not require a substrate, there are many creative ways to cultivate it in living spaces. Thus, the head of Medusa with the bizarre snake-leaves perfectly puts itself in the limelight on branches, stones or cacti.

Air Plants, also known as Tillandsia, are some of the easiest plants to care for - but they do require some care and proper environmental considerations in order to thrive. While they are called "air plants" as they do not require soil and take their nutrients from the air, they still need water, nutrients, and light to survive. Air Plants are technically epiphytes, meaning that they grow in nature on another tree, host, or object.  However, they do not steal nutrients from their host, only using it as a home to grow on.  Air plants use tiny vessels located throughout their leaves called trichomes to capture nutrients and moisture from the air. 

While air plants are known for being easy to grow, they still do need attention to survive and live a healthy life.  If taken care of properly, Tillandia can live for several years and will even provide "pups" for additional years of enjoyment!  

Light: One of the most important things any living creature needs is light, and air plants are no exception.  If you are keeping your plants indoors, you will want to make sure that they are near an adequate light source.  This can be within 3-5 feet of a window, or near an artificial light source. Take care to not let your air plants get too much direct sun, as this can be harmful, even in an indoor environment.  If you are keeping your plants outside, make sure they are in a shaded area that does not receive full sun.  There are only a few varieties that can handle direct sun.

Watering: Place the plants face down in a bowl, sink, or container and lets soak for 10-20 minutes.  Always take care to gently shake any excess water off the base of the plants, as sitting water can cause rot and damage/kill the plant.  We recommend that you water the plants in the morning, and leave them out of their containers in an area that they can dry within 4 hours.  Never let your air plant sit in water for a prolonged period of time.  You can also water your plants using the "dunking" method, where you dunk the plants several times in the water, and gently shake off any excess.

If your plant is struggling and looks "thirsty" you can leave them in bowl for a longer soak of a few hours or even overnight.  A healthy air plant will have wide open leaves while a dehydrated air plant will have closed and curled leaves!  Never submerge the bloom or flower, as it can cause the flower to rot.

If you are using tap water, let the water stand for several hours to dissipate any chemicals prior to watering the plants.  When possible its best to use pond, aquarium, or rain water.  Bottled water and spring water are also ok to use, but never use distilled or artificially softened water!

Remember that each plant variety is different, and will require different watering schedules than others. Never put your air plants in soil, it will harm them!