There are around 540 species of Tillandsia and there are chances you’ve seen them used as decor in your favorite clothing or furniture store. They are usually accompanied by or in aesthetic geometric glass decor. You might have thought they were made out of foam or plastic. However, they are very much alive and just happen to be extremely low maintenance. This characteristic makes them great for the home as they thrive in almost any living environment because they get most of their nutrients and moisture from, you guessed it—air.
1. Improves Air Quality & Your Health
Having plants around your home is great for air quality. They can reduce dust and increase humidity levels. Some of their major sources of nutrients include dust and insect matter, which every household can do without. Through the process of photosynthesis, plants can remove carbon dioxide from the air and produce fresh oxygen for you to breathe. Tillandsias even contain properties that have been used to inhibit pollen-related allergies. Moreover, plants have been shown to improve headaches, allergies, and even lower stress levels. They don’t attract pests and are resistant to diseases.
2. They Can Grow Anywhere, Yes Anywhere!
They can literally grow anywhere. If they can stay alive as decor in shopping centers, they can more than likely survive in your home. Since they require no soil or water, they are a relatively clean plant, resulting in you never having to clean up soil or have spilled water due to an overflowing pot. They can thrive in an apartment, studio, and even office cubicles. The options are literally endless! Instead of soil they only require a host as a form of physical support.
3. Practically Immortal
Don’t have a green thumb? Well, air plants don’t care. Because they can live in almost any conditions and only need to be watered once a week, they are as indestructible as a plant can be. They naturally have a long lifespan so with proper care, they should be able to live for many years. This shouldn’t be hard to accomplish as they require little to no maintenance. These plants are essentially hassle-free. They’re even able to self-reproduce. Air plants can produce anywhere from 1 to 12 offsprings during its lifetime depending on the plant breed. So even if the mother plant dies, you’ll have a replacement.
4. Great For Decor
Because the plants are extremely mobile and adaptive, there are infinite ways to place and grow these plants. Many have created amazing designs with these plants and showcased them on social media. great to display in front of company and will probably be the start of many conversations. You can even tuck them into crevices of driftwood, into shells, wire baskets or super glue them to stones.
5. They Naturally Change Color
No dye is necessary! These plants already have an exotic appearance, but what makes them even more exotic is how they change color over time. While they all start out green, their leaves begin to change as they bloom, with the shade depending on the breed of plant. They have been known to produce hues of red, purple, magenta, orange or even yellow. How many other plants can do that? Plus, some have short, spiky leaves like palms, and others have long, graceful leaves. They even change colors right before they’re about to die. Many air plants are monocarpic, meaning that they flower one last time before dying.
