Air Plant Care Basics

When your new Tillandsia aka air plants arrive, it is important to unpack them promptly. While we ship our air plants quickly, like all plants, they require light, air, and water. Any living thing prefers not to be confined to a box!

To ease any shipping stress, we recommend soaking your air plants in water for 30 minutes upon arrival. Simply fill a bowl or sink, depending on your collection size, with room temperature water and fully submerge the plants. If you're concerned about chlorine in your water, pre-fill a bowl and let it sit to allow the chemicals to dissipate. Generally, if you're comfortable drinking the tap water, it's suitable for your air plants! Alternatively, well water, pond water, creek water, rainwater, or bottled spring water are all excellent choices. Avoid using distilled water as it lacks the minerals and nutrients that air plants thrive on, since they absorb moisture, light, and nutrients through their leaves.

You might notice a white, fuzzy layer on your air plants' leaves, especially after watering. These are called "trichomes", which absorb water and nutrients for the plants and are not harmful mold or fungus. Want to learn even more about air plants? Download our free EBook above!

After soaking, remove your air plants from the water, gently shake off excess moisture, and lay them on their side or upside down to dry completely before displaying. A sunny windowsill is ideal for drying, but avoid direct sunlight as air plants prefer bright, indirect light. If you plan to place them in a glass terrarium or any enclosed space, ensure they are completely dry to prevent rotting.

Air plants typically dry within one to two hours, returning to their normal color when fully dry. Once dry, display them in an area with plenty of bright, indirect sunlight, avoiding direct sunlight to prevent dehydration and burn. Generally, a 30 minute soak once per week is sufficient, but in dry or warm environments, spritzing them with water in addition to soaking may be needed. Watch for curled leaves as a sign of dryness, and give them a thorough soak if needed. Despite their name, air plants require more than just air to thrive!

If your display setup doesn't allow for soaking in water, you can spray your air plants two to three times per week instead.