Kinds of air plants

Posted by jackbandy on November 26th, 2012

Air plants are kinds of plants that don’t need soil to survive. They are mostly seen on forests attached to another plant or stone. Air plants are not parasitic, they only attach for support. There are a lot of species in the air plant family like the Tillandsia. It has over 500 species in the Bromeliad family. This kind of air plant is seen on tropical regions and mostly used as houseplant. It is also used as a plant décor since this kind of air plant can be attached on stones, wood or even conch shells. Another kind of air plant is the Cattleya which has over a 100 species. This type of orchid is known for its small and colorful flowers. Another type is the Platycerium which has only more than 10 species of fern. This fern is notable because of its oddly-shaped leaves thus calling it staghorn or elkhorn. These plants are just like any other plant except that it doesn’t need soil to survive. It also needs sunlight, water and fertilization. However, these kinds of plants are not really hard to take care of because it doesn’t need much water and it can be attached to whatever you have in your house, even rocks.
Tillandsia
Tillandsias are small air plants that look like the head of a pineapple. Its leaves can be thin or thick depending on the area where it has grown. Unlike an ordinary plant, this kind of air plant uses its leaves to absorb minerals and water. That is the reason why soil is not necessary for it to survive. The roots of this plant don’t play an important role in surviving because it is only used for attachment. These small air plants are not only for display but also used for herbal medicines since it is one of the ingredients in treating pollen allergies.
Cattleya
Cattleyas are the type of orchids that are most commonly seen attached to cork barks. This air plant has attractive and colorful flowers that can grow up to more than 10 centimeters. Cattleya orchid, unlike Tillandsia, use its roots to absorb minerals and water then stored to its stems. The thick roots of Cattleya also wraps around the bark for attachment. 
Platycerium
This type of ferns are mostly seen in tropical regions and usually seen attached to trees and rocks. What’s interesting about Platycerium is that they don’t fall off when they die; instead they are still attached to their host. The platycerium also has this part that is called basal fronds where it is used to protect the roots of the fern from damage. The basal fronds are usually shaped like a shield or a kidney. Air plants like these don’t need much water therefore it is ideal to place it on wood or fast-draining pots. 

Tillandsias are beautiful air plants that can be used as gifts or home decors. To know more about the designs that you make out of this plants, you can visit our website and browse on a wide variety of plant projects and even plant care.