How to Care for Florida Air Plants

Bromeliads grow on tree trunks and receive nutrients through their leaves.

The Florida air plant is a bromeliad, which is a member of the pineapple family. These plants are epiphytes. Epiphytes naturally grow on tree branches, trunks or rocks, rather than in soil. Epiphytes cannot receive nutrients through their root systems. They get moisture and nutrients from the air and rain through the gray fuzzy scales on their leaves. In the home, air plants can grow in a well-draining growing medium. They bloom with blue flowers and brightly colored bracts.

Instructions

1. Place the air plant in a window with a southern, eastern or western facing exposure. The window will need a thin sheer curtain over it, to filter the sunlight. An air plant should not be in direct sunlight. A plant that appears darker than normal may not be getting enough light. A plant that appears pale may be getting too much light.

2. Set the thermostat of your home to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature outside is above 70 degrees, you can move the air plant outdoors. Most air plants need a temperature of at least 60 degrees to survive. A few, mainly the ones with thick and stiff leaves, can tolerate temperatures as low as 40 degrees.

3. Pour 3 inches of gravel in the bottom of a bowl. Fill the bowl with water up to the top of the gravel. Set the plant's pot on top of the gravel. The water from below the pot will evaporate, adding humidity to the plant. A humidifier in the same room will also add humidity to the air.

4. Allow air to circulate in the room around the air plant. Open a window if the temperature is above 70 degrees.

5. Feel the top of the air plant's soil with your finger. If the soil is dry, water the plant until the water runs through the holes in the pot. Do not water the air plant again until the soil is dry to the touch. Excess water will cause the roots to rot.

6. Dilute a liquid fertilizer to half strength. Pour the fertilizer into the soil around the air plant. Fertilize the plant every other month during the growing season. Discontinue fertilizing during the winter when the plant is not growing.

Tips & Warnings

• To force your air plant to bloom, place it in a closed plastic bag with a piece of an apple. The ethylene gas released from the apple will cause the plant to bloom.

• If you need to repot your air plant, use a mixture of 1 part peat, 1 part bark and 1 part coarse sand for a potting medium.

References

• Clemson Cooperative University: Bromeliads
• University of Florida IFAS Extension: Bromeliads
• University of Florida IFAS Extension: Florida's Native Bromeliads