Depending upon the Tillandsia type, blooms may range from single delicate blooms to multiple flowers in an inflorescence spike. When an air plant is about to flower, you can tell by its brightening in color and even blushing slightly.
At around this time, air plants often produce offspring known as pups – which are genetic clones of their parent and can later be separated to become separate air plants.
Colors
Air plants boast an array of vibrant hues that span from delicate pinks and light lavender hues to bold yellows, oranges, purples, and reds to delicate pinks and soft lavender hues. Some air plant species even produce flowers in shades of white and green; their vibrant hues are created by trichomes covering flowers or parts of an inflorescence (flower spike).
Tillandsia xerographica stands out with its thick, flat gray-green leaves that curl. Other air plants feature narrower and thinner leaves with or without short hairs that absorb water to give them a fuzzy appearance; some even show distinct lines, like Tillandsia circinata, which grows tightly clustered and shows pink hues before flowering.
Pink Bronze’s air plant stands out for its eye-catching leaves; this cultivar forms a symmetrical rosette of purple and pink flowers in indirect sunlight and is often used as a single specimen in small teardrop terrariums. Other Tillandsia varieties with colorful leaves include the Tillandsia Cotton Candy hybrid that boasts long silvery-green leaves resembling spider dahlia spider leaves with tall pink flower spikes. ‘Gardneri’ features narrow leaves that form spiked-like clusters; both Tillandsia variants bloom vivid pink colors!
Shapes
Air plants don’t grow from the soil as traditional plants do; instead, they cling to trees or rocks to collect minerals from the air and extract water as necessary for survival. They’re known for being drought-tolerant but, with proper conditions, may also thrive as houseplants.
Air plant flowers make an attractive decoration for terrariums and vases, as their roots can secure themselves to virtually anything. Furthermore, they can be combined with other plants, such as orchids, to create an eye-catching hanging display.
With so many shapes and colors, it’s easy to find an air plant flower to complement any decor in your home. One popular variety is Tillandsia capitata – commonly called peach air plant due to its snakelike leaves – which produces vibrant red or yellow blooms when mature.
Tillandsia xerographica, commonly called the King of Tillandsias, makes another gorgeous choice. This air plant with silvery blue leaves grows up to three feet across and inhabits dry forests throughout Mexico, El Salvador, and Guatemala – when in bloom, it produces long spikes of colorful flowers that last months!
Tillandsia circinata or Fuzzywuzzy air plants boast more compact forms, featuring dense foliage with thin curled leaves that resemble grass blades and thick, round bases – ideal for use as part of an air plant terrarium display or bud vase display! They reach about 10 inches tall.
Forms
Air plant species come in all sorts of varieties. Silvery foliage varieties tend to be the most drought tolerant, while greener types require additional irrigation. Tillandsia ionantha varieties with spiky leaves and branching stems that resemble wild manes produce red flower spikes when blooming, creating stunning displays.
Tillandsia function air plants also boast leaves cascading downward, including its pink bracts resembling those found on feather quills, earning it the name “pink quill plant.” Their trichomes help absorb moisture and nutrients from the air as well.
Most air plants feature roots that reach down from objects, like tree branches or rocks, to anchor themselves down for support; these roots don’t draw in moisture as they would in their natural environments. These unique plants gain all their water and nutrition needs from the air using tiny scales on their leaves to absorb moisture and through networks of tiny hairs known as trichomes.
Tillandsia capitata peach plants resemble tubular tubes when mature and produce bright red or yellow blooms when fully developed, while Tillandsia mexicana varieties feature thin leaves with rosette patterns that turn deep green when in color.
Blooming Period
Air plant flowers typically last from one day to a few months and display various hues. While their beauty is undeniable, air plant blooms mark the peak of their lifecycle; once faded, they begin dying off – making now a necessary time to care for and love on them while they bloom! We must shower our air plants with as much love and attention as they bloom!
Tillandsia species attract bees, birds, and insects that help pollinate their flowers using wild pollination services such as nectarine bees. You can help pollinate them using a cotton bud to collect pollen from its center stigma1.
Once your bloom cycle ends, you may notice one or several offsets (babies) sprouting from its base. These offsets, also called “pups” or offspring of your air plant, will eventually develop into adult plants. Carefully clip off flower spikes once they become dry and brown2 to hasten their development more quickly. To hasten its progression even faster, consider trimming off flower spikes when they have aged and become brown2.
Air plants don’t require much maintenance, but they need adequate light for optimal growth. Exposing them to bright indirect lighting allows them to produce the energy necessary to complete their flowering cycle correctly. Humidity is also essential; creating an air quality-enhancing humid environment helps prevent mold growth that might otherwise arise with dry conditions.
