House plants are magical things. They bring the outdoors in – and with it, the benefits of hygge. They purify our air, taking in carbon dioxide and returning us with oxygen. They keep our skin clear. And of course, they look pretty!
Air plants are one of the simplest plants you can get. If you have a habit of killing your greenery (trust me, I’ve been there… I once killed off three tiny cacti), you may wish to start your own collection with one of these babies – they’re super simple to look after!
What is an air plant?
An air plant (Tillandsia) is a form of plant that doesn’t need soil to grow. They can be suspended around your home, or if you’re like me, sit in a little stand looking precariously beautiful.
Air plants are native to the Americas, and can be found attached to rocks, trees, bushes, and in all sorts of random places.
There are over 650 varieties of air plant – mine is a bulbosa – and they all look a bit like nature’s answer to the mohican. I love how this guy constantly looks windswept and interesting, with its little leaves moving only slightly over the months that I’ve had him.
How to care for an air plant
In truth, there’s not much you need to do to care for your air plant. It’s good to keep them in a well-ventilated location, such as close to a window, but I’ve found mine does fine on the corner of my desk.
Every one or two weeks, you’ll need to water your air plant. In order to water your air plant, you should:
- Take your air plant and place it in a sink
- In room-temperature water, lightly rinse the plant
- Leave the plant to drain off in the sink for a few hours
- Pop back into its holder
A happy air plant will remain its original colour (mine is green, whereas some varieties are more silvery), and may send up a flower if in perfect conditions. I’m yet to have this happen, but my fingers are crossed!
