How to Care for Perennial Herbaceous Air Plants? Detailed Guide to Misting Frequency, Hazards and Lifespan
Air plants can be considered a strange plant; they are the only plants on Earth that grow entirely in the air, thriving without soil and producing bright flowers. They come in many varieties and forms, offering both foliage and flowers to enjoy, with advantages such as good decorative effect and strong adaptability. So how do you care for air plants? How often should you mist them? Are they harmful to people? What is their lifespan in years?
The English name for air plants is Air plant; they include nearly 550 species and 103 varieties, making them the most diverse group in the Bromeliad family. They are an epiphytic genus and a perennial herbaceous plant. Air plants do not need to be planted in soil, nor do they need to be grown in water; they are a special plant that can grow just by being misted. They can absorb moisture and nitrogen compounds from the air through the fuzz on their leaves, and they can live well without special care, though their growth is quite slow.
How to Care for Air Plants
Cultivation Methods
1. Containers and Mounting Methods
The cultivation containers for air plants mainly include shells, stones, dead wood, tree fern boards, rattan baskets, etc. They can be fixed with wire or rope. They can also be attached to containers with glue or hot melt adhesive. Air plants can also be cultivated by hanging; after tying them with copper wire or rope, hang them in the air.
2. Temperature
The optimal growing temperature for air plants is 20-25 degrees. They can withstand extreme low temperatures down to 5 degrees Celsius and high temperatures up to 40 degrees. However, in winter low-temperature conditions, attention should be paid to water control; in low-temperature weather, do not let air plants soak in water for too long, otherwise they are prone to frostbite.
3. Ventilation
Remember, remember, the most important thing for air plants is still ventilation. Do not let air plants become stifled, and do not let water accumulate on air plants, otherwise they are very prone to viral infection leading to heart rot.
4. Watering
Air plants can be misted 2-3 times a week with a spray bottle, and in dry seasons they should be misted once a day. When misting, spray until the leaf surface is fully wet and be careful not to let water accumulate in the leaf center. If too much water is sprayed, the plant can be turned upside down to let excess water drain out.
5. Light
Air plants can be placed in a spot with diffused light; there is no need to put them under fierce sun exposure or direct sunlight, otherwise the leaf surface is easily sunburned. However, different varieties have different light intensity needs. If the leaf surface has more silvery-white scale-like structures, it can relatively be given stronger light; if the leaf surface is tender green and the variety naturally droops, it can be placed in a relatively cooler position that still receives diffused light.
6. Pest Control
The main pest is red spider mites; they suck moisture from the leaves, causing the leaves to dry up. Therefore, after discovery, targeted pesticides need to be sprayed, and humidity should be appropriately increased.
Precautions
1. Strictly speaking, it is not necessarily required to keep temperatures above 5 degrees in winter. If daytime light is good, even below 0 degrees is no problem.
2. Also, a reminder to everyone: never put it in a sealed jar. Air plants need a large amount of air circulation and will rot in a stuffy container. If the weather is too dry, just soak the plant in water for about an hour, then shake off the water on the leaves.
3. Never put it in the sun when the leaves are wet. All air plants are relatively drought-tolerant; not giving water for a few days will absolutely not be a problem.
4. Silvery-leaf varieties are even more drought-tolerant than others. Please appropriately reduce watering frequency to avoid rot. Most air plants do not have as high a requirement for air humidity as imagined. Generally speaking, air plants only need to be given water at night.
5. Air plants have extremely strong stress resistance. When they look slightly dry, their resistance can reach its peak. Therefore, in cultivation, I personally think it is better to let the plant be slightly dry so that it can maintain a healthy state.
What Is the Lifespan of Air Plants in Years
As for the lifespan of air plants in years, there is currently no relatively exact data, because different varieties and different environments will lead to different lifespans. However, for air plants kept at home, gardeners do not need to worry too much about how long air plants can live.
Air plants are perennial herbaceous plants, not annual plants. Moreover, after flowering, air plants will produce some small offsets, and these small offsets can be used for propagation. After flowering, the mother plant will not die (this point is different from ornamental bromeliads). According to gardeners' experience, even the mother plant can live for several years (this data may not be very accurate, because in different gardeners' hands, its lifespan varies).
The Blooming Period of Air Plants
The blooming period of normal air plants is mainly concentrated from August to April of the following year. But indoors there is no specific time; as long as the environment is suitable, they can bloom. The flowers basically last 2~3 weeks, and one plant only blooms once in its lifetime.
Can Air Plants Be Placed in the Bedroom? Are They Harmful to People?
Bromeliads can be placed in the bedroom and are not harmful to the body.
Bromeliads are suitable for keeping in a room, with no harm. Bromeliads are also called Guzmania, and are famous indoor foliage and flowering plants. The most notable feature of Guzmania is the bright red flower center in the middle; red things can instantly add warmth to the home, like dancing elves that let people feel a festive atmosphere.
“Air plants” themselves have a strong ability to absorb formaldehyde and benzene compounds and other harmful gases to the human body, and can “swallow” 96% of indoor carbon monoxide, 86% of formaldehyde and nitrogen peroxide, etc. During the day, the stomata on the back of the leaves are closed; at night, after the surrounding ambient temperature drops to an appropriate temperature, the stomata open and absorb CO2. Plants with this special metabolic pathway are simply called CAM plants. CAM plants absorb CO2 at night and can effectively reduce the CO2 concentration in the local environment; of course, this conclusion has not been clearly confirmed by relevant documents. But it indeed reduces odors in the home, and it is not something one or two plants can demonstrate such an effect for.