No Soil Needed to Grow Air Plants at Home
2025-01-21
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1If you are looking for houseplants that do not take up a lot of space and are easy to grow, air plants might be the right choice.
2There are more than 500 different species of air plants. Officially they are known as Tillandsia.
3These plants are native to places in North and South America that support year-round plant growth.
4Air plants belong to the same family as the pineapple.
5Instead of soil, these plants attach themselves to things like trees, rocks and buildings.
6They do not cause problems for the objects they grow on.
7Air plants do not have roots.
8They depend on specialized cells - called trichomes - to permit their leaves to take in water and nutrients.
9Associated Press gardening writer Jessica Damiano has experimented with air plants and offers these guidelines for people wanting to grow them.
10Air plants require bright, indirect light.
11So, they should be placed near an east- or west-facing window, but not directly in front of it. Direct sunlight can burn the plant's leaves.
12In homes with average humidity levels, put air plants in a bowl of room-temperature water once a week for 30 to 60 minutes.
13In homes with drier air, this process can be repeated when needed.
14Lightly shake the plants to remove extra water.
15Then, place them upside-down on a cloth to dry for several hours.
16This step is necessary to prevent water from collecting on the plant's leaves, which can cause damage.
17If using chlorinated water, it is best to let the liquid sit for 12 to 24 hours to permit the chemical to dissipate before watering plants.
18Air plants are especially sensitive to chlorine.
19Growers should feed their air plants with any all-purpose houseplant, bromeliad or orchid fertilizer.
20The substance should be added to the soaking water monthly to provide added nutrients.
21Use about half the amount suggested by the fertilizer manufacturer.
22Air plants bloom only once.
23The resulting pink, coral, purple or white flowers are a signal that the plants are nearing death.
24However, air plants produce offshoots, known as "pups."
25These can be separated into new plants once they grow to about one-third the size of the parent.
26Notable air plants include Spanish moss which can be found hanging from large trees in tropical or subtropical areas.
27In the home, Spanish moss is grown in a humid environment, such as a bathroom.
28Another kind is Tillandsia ionantha, which is also known as the sky plant.
29It is a shaggy-looking plant with green bracts.
30Bracts are leaf-like structures that grow from the area just beneath a flower.
31The tops of bracts can turn pink or purple before flowering.
32Tillandsia caput-medusae is named for its similarity to the snake-haired head of Medusa, from Greek mythology.
33The plant is popular because of its long, wavy leaves that grow upward from a fat, round base.
34Perhaps the most unusual species of Tillandsia is the Xerographic air plant.
35This kind is known as the King of Air Plants.
36It can grow up to about one-half meter.
37The plant's long, thin silver leaves curl downward to produce a round shape that sets it apart from other air plants.
38You can place air plants in just about any spot that provides the required sunlight and good air flow.
39Glass containers or terrariums are popular choices.
40But growers can also put air plants inside seashells or on rocks.
41One could even create a floating Tillandsia garden by hanging several plants from fishing line.
42The plants can also be attached to natural wood pieces with wire or glue.
43Some choose to grow them inside hanging frames.
44When choosing placement possibilities, the main thing to keep in mind is to make sure you are fully meeting all the plant's needs.
45I'm Bryan Lynn.
1If you are looking for houseplants that do not take up a lot of space and are easy to grow, air plants might be the right choice. 2There are more than 500 different species of air plants. Officially they are known as Tillandsia. These plants are native to places in North and South America that support year-round plant growth. Air plants belong to the same family as the pineapple. 3Instead of soil, these plants attach themselves to things like trees, rocks and buildings. They do not cause problems for the objects they grow on. Air plants do not have roots. They depend on specialized cells - called trichomes - to permit their leaves to take in water and nutrients. 4Associated Press gardening writer Jessica Damiano has experimented with air plants and offers these guidelines for people wanting to grow them. 5Sunlight 6Air plants require bright, indirect light. So, they should be placed near an east- or west-facing window, but not directly in front of it. Direct sunlight can burn the plant's leaves. 7Watering 8In homes with average humidity levels, put air plants in a bowl of room-temperature water once a week for 30 to 60 minutes. In homes with drier air, this process can be repeated when needed. 9Lightly shake the plants to remove extra water. Then, place them upside-down on a cloth to dry for several hours. This step is necessary to prevent water from collecting on the plant's leaves, which can cause damage. 10If using chlorinated water, it is best to let the liquid sit for 12 to 24 hours to permit the chemical to dissipate before watering plants. Air plants are especially sensitive to chlorine. 11Feeding the plants 12Growers should feed their air plants with any all-purpose houseplant, bromeliad or orchid fertilizer. The substance should be added to the soaking water monthly to provide added nutrients. Use about half the amount suggested by the fertilizer manufacturer. 13Life cycle 14Air plants bloom only once. The resulting pink, coral, purple or white flowers are a signal that the plants are nearing death. However, air plants produce offshoots, known as "pups." These can be separated into new plants once they grow to about one-third the size of the parent. 15So many choices 16Notable air plants include Spanish moss which can be found hanging from large trees in tropical or subtropical areas. In the home, Spanish moss is grown in a humid environment, such as a bathroom. 17Another kind is Tillandsia ionantha, which is also known as the sky plant. It is a shaggy-looking plant with green bracts. Bracts are leaf-like structures that grow from the area just beneath a flower. The tops of bracts can turn pink or purple before flowering. 18Tillandsia caput-medusae is named for its similarity to the snake-haired head of Medusa, from Greek mythology. The plant is popular because of its long, wavy leaves that grow upward from a fat, round base. 19Perhaps the most unusual species of Tillandsia is the Xerographic air plant. This kind is known as the King of Air Plants. It can grow up to about one-half meter. The plant's long, thin silver leaves curl downward to produce a round shape that sets it apart from other air plants. 20How to show your Tillandsia 21You can place air plants in just about any spot that provides the required sunlight and good air flow. 22Glass containers or terrariums are popular choices. But growers can also put air plants inside seashells or on rocks. One could even create a floating Tillandsia garden by hanging several plants from fishing line. 23The plants can also be attached to natural wood pieces with wire or glue. Some choose to grow them inside hanging frames. When choosing placement possibilities, the main thing to keep in mind is to make sure you are fully meeting all the plant's needs. 24I'm Bryan Lynn. 25The Associated Press reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English. 26______________________________________ 27Words in This Story 28species - n. a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants 29humidity - n. a measurement of how much water is in the air 30dissipate -v. to dry up, disappear through evaporation or by becoming less and less dense 31bloom - v. when a flower fully opens 32shaggy - adj. having or covered with long, rough and messy hair 33curl - v. when something moves in a circular direction 34terrarium - n. a container, often made of glass, that is used to keep small plants in 35frame - n. a border that surrounds and supports a picture, door or window