Air plants are very interesting because they differ significantly from the standard type of plants that you’re likely used to caring for. Unlike most plants, air plants don’t require soil to grow.
When you find plants like this out in nature, it’s usually going to be the case that they’re growing in jungles or mountaintops. They can also be found in some desert areas, and it’s interesting how they grow.
You’ll find air plants growing on trees and other types of platforms. These plants aren’t parasitic, though, and they aren’t receiving any nutrition from the plants or surfaces that they’re growing on.
Instead, air plants receive the nutrients that they need completely from the air. Dirt fibers and moisture drift through the air, and this is what gives sustenance to these intriguing types of plants.
Many people have chosen to keep air plants in their homes as houseplants. If you’re just starting to care for air plants, then you might be wondering about caring for them and just how big you can expect them to get.
Keep reading to get more information about air plants, how big they will get, and how you might be able to influence their growth rates. Once you’ve dug into the details, you should have an even better time caring for air plants in your home.
The Sizes Vary Based on What Type They Are
There are a variety of different air plants that you can choose to take care of from home. Most of them aren’t going to get very big, but some of them will get larger than others.
Generally, you can expect air plants to range in size from two inches all the way up to 12 inches. You can find some air plants out in the wild that will grow up to seven feet tall, but these aren’t the kind that you will usually keep in your home as houseplants.
So most of the air plants that you’ll be caring for as houseplants are going to be relatively small. You can expect most varieties to stay under a foot tall, but you might be able to encourage the growth a bit.
What should you do if you want your air plants to grow healthy and strong? Keep reading to get more information about what you can do to help your air plants thrive.
Many Air Plants Grow Slowly
One thing that you should note before you start jumping to conclusions about air plants is that they grow slowly. These plants might not grow as quickly as you’re used to if you normally only care for standard houseplants.
The best thing that you can do to ensure that your air plants will grow as fast as they can is to take care of them right. You’re going to need to provide them with the right environment and ensure that they get enough water.
If you keep reading, you’ll be able to learn a bit about what goes into caring for air plants. It should help you to get the most out of your air plants and they’ll be able to add a lot of charm to your home.
Ensure That the Air Plants Get Ample Light
Air plants are going to need access to ample amounts of light to thrive. Generally, air plants do best when placed in spots where they can get at least a few hours of bright indirect sunlight each day.
You want to avoid direct sunlight with the vast majority of air plants to avoid issues with scorching. It should be pretty easy to find spots in your home where the plants can receive bright indirect light, though.
It could be good to place your air plants approximately one to three feet away from a window. An east- or west-facing window would be a good choice that would provide a lot of sunlight.
Temperature
You need to keep air plants in warm enough temperatures, too. These plants grow in hot climates in the wild, and this means that they aren’t used to cold weather.
If you choose to keep air plants in cooler temperatures, then they aren’t likely going to grow well at all. It could even wind up causing issues with the plants in terms of normal health and survival.
Ideally, you should keep air plants in temperatures that stay at 60 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. You’ll also want to keep them away from places in your home that are too close to vents.
Never put air plants near air conditioners, heating vents, drafty windows, and other such locations. So long as you keep the ideal temperature requirements in mind, everything should be just fine.
Watering Air Plants
Watering air plants is something that you will typically do by misting them every so often. You get a spray bottle and fill it with room temperature water so that you can mist the plants.
This is going to be the most similar process to how the air plants would receive water in the wild. You’ll want to try to determine when to water air plants based on the type of air plant that you’re caring for as well.
Air plants that have smooth and glossy leaves are more than likely air plants from tropical environments. They’re going to want more water and this means that you should mist them frequently to help them grow well.
Air plants that have fuzzy leaves come from dryer environments such as deserts. These plants are used to going a little longer without water, and you should only have to mist them twice per week to get good results.
You Can Fertilize Air Plants
You can actually mist air plants with fertilizer to help encourage them to grow faster. In some instances, using fertilizer might help the air plants to grow a bit larger.
It’s said that you can fertilize air plants once or twice per month. Using a water-soluble fertilizer that is meant for orchids should work nicely.
Most people use the misting method since that’s what they do to water the air plants. However, it’s also possible to give air plants fertilizer by dunking them in the fertilizer.
Dunking is another watering method that some people prefer. It’s actually really good for air plants that are freestanding or are attached to wood of some sort.
You just dip the plant briefly into a water pan or some type of aquarium. It’s also possible to just place it under a faucet that’s running if you’re only trying to water it.
Final Thoughts
Overall, caring for air plants won’t be that tough if you look into the needs of each plant. It might be a good idea to look up specific information about the type of air plant that you own so that you can do things right.
The advice given here is great general advice for growing air plants. You’ll find that the most common air plants will stay between two inches and 12 inches tall, but there are some out there that get taller than that.
These plants are really nice and they add a bit of charm to whatever room you decide to place them in. If you want to ensure that your plants do well under your care, then just be sure to give them the right environment where they will do well.
Paying attention to the small things such as light requirements, temperature, and watering needs will be enough to make the plants do well. If you decide to fertilize your air plants once or twice per month, then you might get even better results.
If you were on the fence about getting air plants, then you should know that they’re pretty fun to care for. These are good plants to own and they aren’t all that hard to care for once you get used to how to do it.
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.