Air Plants Without Roots –

Growing air plants

Air plants, or aerial plants, are so called because in order to grow they need cure minimetheir peculiarity, in fact, lies in being without roots.

They do not need to take nourishment from the soil or compost placed inside the pots as happens with all the other plants. houseplants and not only that, they simply live by absorbing thehumidity already normally present in the air.

Their location is also quite original: while normally the cultivation of house or outdoor plants takes place directly in the ground or in a pot, in the case of air plants it’s different. In fact in nature the air plants they grow spontaneously on rami or on the bark some trees.

They have no traditional roots that serve to draw vital nourishmentbut they lack them or in some cases have small roots that actually serve to anchor themselves to supports, such as bark and branches, but they do not even absorb water from these. In fact, air plants live on air.

Their leaves, generally very thin and elongated, are equipped with a scale-like covering that captures moistureAir plants can also flower, producing rather brightly colored flowers.

Tillandsia Care

The best known name of the plants absorb moisture o daughters of the air And Tillandsiaa air plant Of origine tropicale which grows on branches or finding support elsewhere, in more urban contexts, such as for example lampposts which act as support.

The ideal conditions for the care of Tillandsie Inside the house it is a mild temperature, which never falls below 15 o 20 degrees in the coldest hours and that it does not go beyond 25 degrees.

The care of this type of houseplantsif placed in favorable conditions, is almost spontaneous and does not require particular human intervention.

Tillandsia composition on Bakker.com

L’watering being sui generis it does not happen through a watering can by moistening the soil in the pot and the roots, but this time it happens through spraying on the plant green. The water droplets will be absorbed by the plant on their own as needed.

Even the most humid rooms in the house, such as the bathroom or laundry room, are particularly suitable for growing Tillandsias.

The plants that are placed in these rooms of the house do not even require nebulization from us, often considering that the one coming from our showers that make the air humid is sufficient.

The plant dies if watered too much because it tends to rot quickly.

Arrangement of Tillandsias in the house

Not requiring soil or a pot, Tillandsias can be kept lean on to a piece of furniture, alone or in composition for example in a green centerpiece original and perennial or even be inserted inside containers, bottles or ornamental vases, obviously without being immersed in water, but only placed inside them.

The plants, once purchased, can also be fixed suspended on a hook and hung for example near windows.

Rootless Plants in Bottles at Bakker.com

In this way these plants contribute to furnishing and do not require any special care from us. When temperatures rise, during the summer, Tillandsias can be moved on the balcony or in the garden, in the shade, placing them close to branches or shrubs.

Outside they will absorb water and nutrients directly from the atmosphere, through dew, rain water e night humidity.

Another good reason to choose and introduce into your home Tillandsiain addition to resistenceat the longevity and minimal maintenance, is its peculiar characteristic anti pollution. In fact, it manages to purify the air to absorb pollutants present in the air, even the dangerous ones PM 10microscopic particles of particulate matter present in the atmosphere and often increasing in many Italian locations at home.

Tillandsia xerographica from Bakker.com

The air plant They are also peculiar in their colour: a green that tends towards silver, for this reason they are also called Tillandsie grigie.

The most common types to find in shops but also online, such as on Amazon or even on Bakker where you can find detailed descriptions of the various types and their characteristics, are the Tillandsia argenteaa rosette plant that in the summer months can be covered with small bright red flowers, la Tillandsia the head of the medusawith its shape that resembles a bulb and the particular red inflorescence in the shape of an ear that starts from the centre of the plant, the Tallandsiaionantha from the arched foliage and still the Tillandsia juncea with its very thin and long leaves and the Tillandsia usneoideswhich grows very quickly and forms a thick, rich cascade and more.

Growth generally occurs vertically and the plants are often drooping.
Tillandsias reproduce by detaching shoots from the mother plant.