GROW | DESIGN | CRAFT AIR PLANTS The Curious World of Tillandsias ZENAIDA SENGO FOREWORD BY FLORA GRUBB PHOTOS BY CAITLIN ATKINSON ir plants are the perfect plant for people looking to add a bit of green to their décor. They are epiphytes, meaning they don’t root in soil and don’t need to be potted. These design darlings are exceptionally low-maintenance,A require only regular watering, and are stocked at trendy boutiques and garden centers. Regularly featured in popular media like Martha Stewart Living, Design*Sponge, and Apartment Therapy, they are the trendiest houseplants around! Air Plants shows readers how to grow, craft, and design with these modern beauties. Hundreds of stunning photographs showcase ideas for using them mounted on walls, suspended from the ceiling, as living bows and jewelry, and A lush, photo-driven guide in unique containers like leather pouches, dishes, and baskets. Step-by-step to plants that grow on air! projects offer fun ways to craft with live plants. XERIC TILLANDSIAS How to design with air plants Xeric describes environments characterized by a lack of water, such as deserts. Xerophytes (xeric comes from the Greek word for dry; phyto comes from the Greek word Advicefor plant) are plants that have adaptedon to live in suchhow arid to choose and buy air plants environments. Xeric, or xerophytic, tillandsias are able to live in hot, dry climates thanks to their enlarged tri- chomes. These larger, denser, more feathery trichomes protrude from their leaves to better soak up the limited water and nutrients in the air. This “super sponge” capa- bility allows xeric tillandsias to endure long periods of drought and allows some to survive on as little mois- Leaf fronds of a jelly palm often ture as morning dew. Xeric tillandsias are easily identi- dry in a long pocket shape. This fied by their fuzzy or furry appearance, often giving them frond’s natural form gracefully an overall white, gray, or silvery cast. This whitish col- supports Tillandsia hammeri on oration, in turn, reflects sunlight, enabling xeric tilland- the wall without the help of any sias to protect themselves from the harsh desert sun. In glue or wire. addition to their funky texture and color, many of them Tillandsia harrisii exhibits many desirable tillandsia characteristics. Tillandsia streptophylla, one of my all-time favorite tillandsias, is not ▲ This hartebeest skull is have curly leaves and a bulbous shape. The fleshier form Able to reach an impressive eight inches in diameter, it’s silvery and often seen in bloom. It seems to change its structure quite a bit when embellished with Tillandsia has better water retention and leaves that coil tighter drought-tolerant yet not particular about its light. It’s also robust and concentrating on such a robust bloom spike, going from a more spherical harrisii (left) and Tillandsia when they’re drier, which explains why xeric types are resilient while remaining soft and tactile, and its starry shape makes it an formation to a wonky, geometrical shape. excellent candidate for vertical gardens or inserting in vases. usneoides (right). among the more bizarre-looking of tillandsia species. Xeric tillandsias are a great choice for anyone who pre- ◄ I love the abstract, organic look fers to water their plants infrequently, but keep in mind of these wall pods made by San that they need larger amounts of light because they often Francisco ceramist Jo Boyer originate in sunny deserts. (and displayed at San Francisco’s Paxton Gate). While beautiful empty, the intricately hatched, cocoon- and nestlike forms ◥ The species epithet of Tillandsia caput-medusae means “head of Medusa” and it’s easy to see why. The fuzzy leaf tendrils will become seem to call out for living things curlier in times of drought but will straighten out with regular water- to make them their home. A ing. I like to keep my T. caput-medusae somewhere in the middle of virtually weightless tillandsia is these extremes. the perfect inhabitant. ► Tillandsia seleriana exhibits highly visible trichomes, giving it a classic xeric fuzzy appearance. Tillandsia xerographica, though predominantly silver, blushes a sweet, Filum is Latin for thread. With its wispy, threadlike foliage, it’s easy to rosy pigment throughout its cushionlike form that makes it highly see why this plant bears the name Tillandsia filifolia. sought after. It has such strength in its structure that I’ve comically used a pair of them like oven mitts to replant a sharp, menacing cactus. Truly xeric in nature as indicated by its name, this plant must have direct sun and requires very minimal water. 26 AIR PLANTS A TILLANDSIA PRIMER 27 116 AIR PLANTS Creative and beautiful display ideas Tillandsia concolor hybrid nestles among gran- ite, pyrite, and fluorite—an arrangement that Underwatering and Overwatering combines my love of plants and rocks and If you are unsure about the effectiveness of your water- How to Water and When minerals. ing method, study your tillandsia in between waterings. CareIt will show signs of andinsufficient water long maintenance before dying. tips Signs of underwatering are browning or crispy leaf tips WATERING ADVANTAGES DISADVAN- WHO SHOULD and wrinkling or prunelike subtleties on the leaves, and METHOD TAGES USE THIS the edges of the leaves will curl up and inward, creating a METHOD channel or tubular appearance. If you’ve only been mist- ing your plants and you notice these traits occurring, Misting Easy; don’t Won’t be enough People who enjoy then it’s likely your plant is telling you to water it more Spray all sur- have to remove to rehydrate a watering fre- often or more thoroughly. Some xeric species with curly faces of the plant plants from dis- thirsty plant; quently; soak- leaves will coil their leaf tips more when watered less and between 3 to 7 play; everyday not that thor- ers or dunkers times per week interaction with ough; may cause who draw out the straighten out again when they receive regular, abundant plants; stray water to time between water. I prefer those types in their drier, curlier state and land on furniture, waterings; will often delay watering them until they’re tightly coiled. floor, household terrarium keepers It is difficult to overwater your tillandsias as long as objects they are exposed to air and allowed to dry out between applications of water. Tillandsias can stay wet for too long, however, and potentially develop rot if they are sit- Dunking Easy and quick; Won’t rehydrate Those who keep ting on or next to any materials, such as moss, that retain ▲ These deeply channeled leaves of Tilland- Briefly immerse thorough a really thirsty tillandsias near a water. When combining them with other materials or sia aeranthos curl inward on themselves, the plant in water plant; requires convenient water positioning them on top of other substrate and plant demonstrating an unhealthy state of for just a few min- removing a plant source; those dehydration. utes or less, 2 to from its display; who want thor- combinations, ensure that the surface material remains 4 times per week doesn’t keep the ough waterings dry or that your plant is elevated above the moisture. for mesic plants; plant hydrated as and don’t mind Water tactics for companion planting and terrariums are once every 7 to long as soaking removing plants discussed in their respective sections. 10 days for xeric does from their display plants spot Soaking Provides a deep Requires remov- Those who don’t Submerge the and thorough ing a plant from want to water plant once a week watering; can its display; their plants more for 1 to 2 hours; if restore very somewhat than once a week; done less often, thirsty and dry labor-intensive; those reviv- then submerge plants that have occupies a sink, ing neglected, the plant for up begun to shrivel bath, bucket, or parched plants; to 5 hours up bowl for several those who enjoy hours changing their til- Tillandsia tecto- landsia displays rum and Tillandsia often velutina sit in this pencil cactus like kids sitting in a tree. Pen- cil cactus, officially Euphorbia tirucalli, has an open branch- ing system that sup- ports tillandsias well. They grow in ► Tillandsia aeranthos in a normal, healthy bright light indoors state of hydration. Plants can be fairly eas- and thrive best with ily restored to a hydrated state by soaking direct sun that til- them for several hours. landsias will happily absorb, too. 58 AIR PLANTS A TILLANDSIA PRIMER 59 96 AIR PLANTS TILLANdSIAS ON dISPLAy 97 Six Step-by-Step Projects MATERIALS • Square or rectangular ceramic dish (or wooden shadow box) • Ruler • Pencil or pen • Spray bottle with water • Power drill with glass masonry bit (or wood bit) • Tilly Tacker • Reindeer moss, Spanish moss, or a similarly textured medium • Tillandsias with a height roughly equivalent to the depth of the frame or slightly taller (I used Tillandsia ionantha for this project) Ceramic Frame Garden • String or rubber bands large enough to fit When you have a surplus of plants, geometric white frames can help around the dish eliminate visual overload from too many plant textures. I began corral- ling my stray tillandsias and filing them into shallow ceramic squares as a means of organizing them. Around the same time, we were all trying to devise new ways to grow plants vertically at the nursery. A simple Press the tillandsia firmly into the moss. Repeat steps 7 Position the tillandsias snugly in a gridlike pattern, filling and 8 with the rest of the tillandsias. the frame from edge to edge. When braced against each hole drilled and my makeshift plant filing system became the most per- 1 Select a shallow ceramic planter or wooden other in this manner they’ll stay erect while drying.