How to Care for Air Plants

I’ve only been bitten by the “plant bug” recently in the last few years, but it’s been really fun discovering and learning about different types of plants and how to care for each variety.

Some of the coolest kinds out there are air plants! These small plants don’t need soil so you can use a wide variety of planters to display these air-loving friends. 

Air plants are epiphytes, meaning in nature they grow on other plants, usually on trees. There are hundreds of species and varieties of air plants, but most require the same basic elements to care for them and keep them thriving.

Related: Learn everything you need to know about Monstera Plants, Fiddle Leaf Figs, Pilea Plants, Snake Plants, and Golden Pothos. You can find lots more in our full Plants Archive.

Where to Buy Air Plants

There are lots of places that you can get air plants from online (we bought ours here) and several different varieties to choose from. I recommend getting a multi-pack that has a few different kinds and sizes of plants to vary the look of your terrarium or planter.

You can often find air plants at larger hardware stores, grocery stores that sell plants, and local nurseries and greenhouses.

How to Water Air Plants

“Wait, do these plants need water? Don’t they just live off air?” Well, actually, no they don’t. These plants may not live in soil, but they do need water! When you get your air plants, you’ll want to soak them in a small container of water for 20-30 minutes.

Try to use filtered, well, or rain water if you can as regular municipal water from the tap can have harmful chlorine. Gently shake the water off your plants and allow them to dry completely before placing them in their new homes.

You’ll need to repeat this soaking ritual once a week in order for your plants to stay hydrated. If you don’t, they really will die. Believe me.

Make sure not to let your air plant sit in water or soil for extended periods of time. (They get their nutrients through their leaves, not through their roots.)

How Much Light Do Air Plants Need?

Air plants love bright, but indirect, light. While bright, indirect light is best, they can also thrive in direct indoor light, if that’s the best available spot. Just make sure to mist them with a spray bottle every couple of days, and consider moving them if the direct light seems too much for a particular plant.

You can even keep your plants outside as long as they are in filtered light. (Just be sure to water them more often than indoor plants.)

How Do I Groom my Air Plants?

If some of the lower leaves of your plant have dried out, you can gently pull off those withered stems. You can also snip any tips of leaves that have dried out as well. Don’t worry about hurting your plant; the leaves will grow back.

How to Propagate Air Plants?

Another cool thing about air plants is that they will eventually produce little sprouts, or “pups,” from their base (up to 2-8 per plant!). When a pup reaches 1/3 of the size of the adult plant, you can gently separate it by pulling it apart from the parent plant. Cool, right?

How to Display Air Plants?

I love the fact that you can display these plants in some unique ways (like this) since you don’t have to have a container for soil. We chose these simple hanging planters for our space, but I’m sure they won’t be the only air planters around for very long!

Now that you know all about these adorable plants, you can see why we think they are such a fun area of the plant world to dive into. Got any tips of your own to help keep these plants happy and healthy? xo. Laura