Air plants are very hardy and easy to care for. We have seen them survive up to 2 weeks in a shipping box with no light or water (Do not try that at home). When your new air plants arrive you will want to open the box immediately. We ship our air plants the quickest way possible but like all plants, they want light, air and water.

To lower the stress of the shipping you will want to soak your air plants in room temperature water for 30 to 60 minutes. Just fill a bowl with room temperature water and submerge the plants completely. They will tend to float around and you can gently push them back into the water a couple times during their bath. If you're concerned that your local water has too much chlorine, fill a bowl of water in advance of the water routine to let the chemicals dissipate. Generally, if you are comfortable drinking your tap water, it is good enough for the air plants. If you have well water, pond water, creek water or rain water, your air plants will love that. You can also use bottled spring water. Do not use distilled water as it has fewer natural minerals and nutrients that air plants like. As air plants do not live in soil they get all of their moisture, light and nutrients through their leaves.

You may notice that your air plants have a white, fuzzy, layer on their leaves, especially after a good watering. These are called Trichomes. Trichomes are small outgrowths on the leaves which absorb water and nutrients for the plants. They are not mold or a fungus.

After their soak, remove your air plants from the water, gently shake off the excess water and lay the plants out on their side or upside down so they can dry completely before placing them in a display. A nice sunny window sill is a perfect place to let them dry and soak up some sunlight. Do not place your air plants in direct sunlight. They like bright indirect sunlight. If you are planning on putting them in a glass terrarium, a wall hanging display, or any kind of enclosure (or in a hole to stand them up), it is important that you allow your air plants to dry completely. Letting the air plants dry completely reduces the risk of your plants rotting.

Your air plants should dry within one to two hours. You'll notice that their normal color will return when they are fully dried out. Once they are dry you will want to display them in an area with plenty of bright, indirect sunlight. Do not place them in direct sunlight as this will dry them out very quickly. Typically, your air plants will only need a 30 minute soak in water once per week. If they are in a very dry or warm environment you may need to spritz them with water once a week in addition to the soak. You will know if they are getting too dry if their leaves begin to curl. Give them a good soak if you see this happening. Remember that despite their name, air plants need a little more than just air to live happily.

If you display your air plants in a manner that does not allow soaking them in a bowl of water you can spray them with water two or three times per week instead.