Six years ago when I first met these magical creatures I was already a little plant obsessed. I had been cultivating a succulent garden in my kitchen window, and dreaming of a yard of my own. I was at a local plant and garden store in Charlottesville when I saw my first Tillandsia. What, no dirt?! Spectacular. And they continue to amaze me, from their beautiful blooms to their amazing resilience, and that they're happy just about anywhere with a little warmth and water.
- Elaine
Our air plant hangers are perfect for vertical gardening, indoor gardening and small space living. Think of it as jewelry for your home with golden brass rings that provide a comfortable seat for your new best friends. Shop air plant hangers here.
Air plants are reputed to be one of the easiest plants to care for - their name even suggests how low-maintenance they are! So why is it that even those who might consider having a green thumb with other varieties end up killing the poor little guys??
The answer is that there is a lot of conflicting information about how to care for an air plant once you get it home. Some people say to mist the bottom "every so often," some say to soak for an hour every other week. The other difficult thing is that air plants don't show any change for a long time, good or bad. It can take months before it shows that it's dehydrated, and usually by then, it's too late.
The best rule of thumb to live by when you choose to buy any kind of plant is to get care instruction from the place you buy it from.
They will have the specific information on how they took care of it from its seed up to the point you take over. Plants need the same care they received from their original growers - they can get shocked easily if you start over or under watering them, or give them a dramatic difference in light exposure.
Watering:
We keep our air plants healthy by soaking them in room temperature water for 30 minutes twice a week. This is important for the big guys especially. In between waterings we give a generous mist with a spray bottle. What you may not have heard is that the plants need to dry well too - if water remains down in the folds of the leaves then it can stagnate, rot and kill the plant. So, after its soak, leave it to dry upside-down for a while before returning it to its home.
Light
This very important for these guys as well. Their ideal home will have bright, indirect sunlight for most of the day. Best places are right by windows that face north and west.
Whenever you purchase an air plant and hanger from EBJ we include a care card with all you need to know about keeping your new little friends healthy and beautiful!