Grow your own Airplant!

 by Rotten194
IMG_0102.JPG
Have you always wanted houseplants, but worried about dirt in the carpets, bugs in the dirt, and just general annoyance when you flood the pot too much, pouring muddy water over your new carpet?

Are you just generally fed up with flowers in your home? Want to break out with a plant that makes your friends go "Huh?"

Low on cash?

Why not grow some air plants!
 
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Step 1: What is an Airplant, and how do I get them?

Air plants, true name Epiphytes, are plants native to warm areas such as Florida and Central America, mainly characterized by the fact that they posses no roots, instead absorbing water and nutrients through their leaves. Contrary to their common name, air plants DO NOT live on air, and some species are aquatic, growing on seaweed.

Air plants do not harm their host, instead using it as support. When attached to trees, they grow root-like tendrils to latch themselves in place, which can be safely broken off if harvesting.

The Genus Tillandsia is the most commonly sold, and the type pictured in this instructable. I suggest starting with one of these.



I bought my air plant at Marfield's, an American garden supply chain, for $4.99. That simple. They can also be purchased online, in greater variety, here.
^^ says: Dec 5, 2012. 6:59 PM
I have a really quick question about my recent air plant and I really thankful to anyone who reply to this: I bought an air plant few months ago and one of my cousin accidently drop it on the ground which then got ripped apart by my dog so I tried to save the remaining green leaves- so I dont think they will be able to bloom no? thanks again for your reply
virtualnoodles says: Dec 24, 2011. 12:57 PM
Maybe I have have a different type of air plant ( but I know it is a tillandsia) I have several that I bought from a guy that farms them he said you need to keep them in relatively good sun light like close to a window and mist them once a week which is what I've been doing and they look fine and most of them have bloomed I just heavily mist them making shore they are good and wet. Iv hade them for about two months
airplantcity says: Aug 26, 2010. 7:56 AM

Air Plants are exciting and very easy to care for.  I have easy care instructions on my site.  They do require water and bright light and if you have an air plant that hasn't done a thing except look pretty then first determine that it is alive by soaking for an hour.  If it falls apart then it died awhile ago.  If it perks up then you can now prod it into bloom.  After the bloom dies, it will develop pups or babies.  These can be left to "clump" or separated from the mother plant to grow on their own.  The plant pictured is one of my favorites and is an easy care plant, just now coming in to bloom.  It is called a Brachycoulas Hybrid and has stiff leaves, turns red when budding, and has awesome flowers.  Find out more at Air Plant City
BRACHYHYBRID2.jpg
l8nite says: Jul 9, 2009. 9:17 PM
Like I said, its "wild", they are all over the place, of course I live in north east florida so thats expected. I have had them inside before, mainly in the bathroom but they need more sunlight than I allow in (sunlight equals heat) Its kind of like Geckos, the little green lizards are all over (they do a great job controling insects) but in other areas they cost $5-10us in petstores!!
dombeef in reply to l8niteAug 19, 2010. 4:40 PM
I live in middle florida and they are everywhere! i used to have one but i left for a week and it died
zimginny says: Mar 7, 2010. 4:39 PM

What a beautiful plant to put in a home with a lot of white carpeting!  How would you propogate this plant?

Rotten194 (author) in reply to zimginnyMar 10, 2010. 4:58 PM
If I remember correctly, the plants grow by producing little plants that look like a miniature version of the parent plant around its base. They're usually pretty easy to spot. Then I believe once they are big enough you can simply pull them off, but you might want to look that up as I'm not sure where I read that. You can also just leave them on and eventually you will have an air plant ball.
Magnelectrostatic says: Jul 22, 2009. 2:30 PM
3 years ago I got an air plant, i put it on a windowsill in my kitchen and haven't touched it since then, and it's doing fine.
Rotten194 (author) in reply to MagnelectrostaticJul 22, 2009. 5:45 PM
Um... wow? Someone must be watering it, or its getting rain, or something. Mine dries out in 4 days if not watered.
Magnelectrostatic in reply to Rotten194Jul 23, 2009. 10:06 AM
I wonder if it died then, it doesn't do much. I mean I know it's a plant but i never do anything to it.
Funk_D in reply to MagnelectrostaticNov 24, 2009. 7:51 PM
My mom bought me an "air fern" about 4 years ago and the tag specifically says that is "thrives on neglect." I haven't watered it or anything ever since I got it and it's still green as the day I got it. I wonder if it is a fake. lol.
thematthatter in reply to Funk_DJan 10, 2010. 11:11 PM
its not real, my mom has a similar plant.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_fern
Funk_D in reply to thematthatterJan 12, 2010. 11:51 AM
Oh wow. That's fantastically interesting. All this time it was actually the skeletons of a bunch of dead animals. lol.
Magnelectrostatic in reply to Funk_DNov 25, 2009. 2:05 PM
 awang8 must be right, I wonder if it'll melt......
Funk_D in reply to MagnelectrostaticNov 25, 2009. 5:12 PM
Well it never felt like plastic. I checked because I thought it was fake the day she gave it to me (it sounded too good to be true). oh well. it still looks cool.
Magnelectrostatic in reply to Funk_DDec 29, 2009. 8:16 PM
 I was thinking about this instructable so I watered my droopy air plant. It really does look a lot better now, not all lazy and stuff...
awang8 in reply to MagnelectrostaticJul 23, 2009. 4:23 PM
Hmm... Evil nurseries selling plastic plants known as "no maintenance plants" trying to fool inexperienced gardeners... Oh sorry... Just talking to myself about conspiracy theories...
l8nite says: Jul 9, 2009. 7:19 PM
Here is the opening pic of my hanging oillamp instruc you'll see a Tillandsia growing in the "wild" (its just to the right of where the lamp is hung in the tree) These generally grow in the upper branches of oaks along with mistletow (another epiphyte) but as you can see its happy in my crapemyrtle
wooden knives  oil lamp 013.jpg
Rotten194 (author) in reply to l8niteJul 9, 2009. 8:40 PM
That's cool! have you considered "harvesting' it and growing it indoors, or are you going to keep it outside?
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