“An unusual plant that grows without soil: eliminates humidity and mold from your home!”

Tillandsia is an air plant that feeds on humidity and organic particles present in the air.

In this article, we will provide tips on how to care for it to ensure lush growth and you will also discover its useful properties.

Green plant enthusiasts will surely have heard of it and it is gaining more and more followers.

The deccoria portal has revealed how these soil-less plants work and why it is worth having them at home.

These air plants seem to thrive very well in our interiors.

Tillandsia –

what is this flower?

The homeland of these small branches is the equatorial rainforest of Ecuador.

They grow in the tops of trees, but they are not parasites!

In the tropical ecosystem, they act as water reservoirs where small, colorful frogs reproduce.

These plants are classified as epiphytes, that is, plants that rely on other plants, tree trunks and branches as support for their development.

The branches absorb water and nutrients not from the ground, but from the air!

They obtain basic minerals from the residues of organic matter accumulated in the cracks of the crust.

The unusual leaves are transformed into water reservoirs, all thanks to the presence of small disc-shaped hairs that give them a light grey colour.

There are several types of this plant.

The flower and leaves can vary in color, shape and structure.

Whatever type you choose, it will be not only an effective but also very useful decoration for your interior.

Crop

It is a very unique indoor decoration, with low requirements and easy to grow.

Even less experienced indoor plant lovers who want to grow live flowers, but do not always have the time to do so, will find satisfaction with this plant.

For this plant, it is enough to follow just a few rules, and one of them is to maintain the room temperature in optimal conditions.

In summer it should be around 20 °C, while in winter the temperature should not drop below 13 °C.

During the heating season, do not place the plant too close to the radiator, as this could affect its natural development cycle.

A bookshelf will work much better.

For proper growth, room humidity is also important.

Remember that under natural conditions it lives in tropical areas and the humidity is high there.

So, if you see that the humidity in your house or apartment drops below 40-45 percent on your hygrometer, these are not favorable conditions for the Tillandsia plant.

As for the other steps in care, soilless plants should be watered at least twice a week during the flowering period.

In fall and winter, you can easily reduce this frequency to every 10 days.

Pay attention to when the plant is too dry or too wet at the roots.

Neither option suits you and the humidity must be just right.

It is worth noting that the light misting method will work better than traditional watering.

The ideal water is soft, so the use of decalcified water or rainwater is recommended.

How to fertilize Tillandsia

This plant, like other types, should be fertilized during the period of greatest growth, that is, from May to the end of August.

Multi-component liquid fertilizers can be used, to be applied every two weeks.

If you want the plant to be resistant to diseases, you can leave it on the balcony for a while.

Of course, only when the sun’s rays are not too intense.

Reproduction

It is best to tackle this task in the spring.

Reproduction is carried out by dividing the shoots.

Another option is propagation from rooted shoots.

What exactly needs to be done?

Separated young shoots should be taken from the center of the leaves, then inserted into the substrate (or a container of water), and waited for to root.

As you can see, breeding is not a very complicated process and does not require any particular skills.

Of course, it takes practice, but even a beginner should be able to do it easily.

What would be the best pots?

Hanging coconut pots, a piece of log or bark, shells, all will make excellent pots for this plant.

Fixing the plant without roots can be done in several ways:

They adhere to a vertical surface with a small amount of silicone or other adhesive.

If you choose a glass pot or a coconut shell, you can fill it with orchid substrate.

Leaves

Branches with a higher number of grey hairs will require more light and slightly less water (i.e. air humidity).

Varieties with thinner, shinier leaves will be sensitive to sun damage and will also require higher humidity in the room.

But it is better to find out in advance whether you have to deal with a bluish or greyish Tillandsia, for example.

Although they are theoretically “the same” plants, they may differ slightly.