I just finished up work on the big Dwell on Design show coordinating the outdoor section and working closely with a lot of plant people (nice people!). I was struck by the amount of air plants (or Tillandsia) that were used throughout the show and as accessories in modern interiors. Could Air Plants be the new Terrariums?
Tillandsia can grow without soil and with little water (though they like humidity and do not like direct sun). You can keep them alive by either misting them or soaking them once a month. I loved seeing a bunch of air plants as accessories in a bowl on a table and, in a more dramatic play, as an ethereal sculpture in the center of the Outdoor Section (see images 3-5). The Tillandsia shower at Dwell on Design was concepted by Shades of Green, a landscape architecture firm in Sausalito.
Because they're so hardy, they could definitely vie for a place in our list of foolproof plants that can almost survive the dark. And if you're looking for a place to buy them, check out the online shop, Rainforest Flora.
Here are some of our other favorite ways to display airplants (and yes, Terrariums are a good option):
• DIY Air Plant Chandelier
• Fernseed Terrariums
• 10 Ways to Display Airplants
• Magic garden at Viva Terra
• Look! Air Plants in a Glass
(Images 1-5 Laure Joliet, 6 Fernseed, 7 Viva Terra, 8 Laure Joliet, Koko Studios)
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I'll admit to being a fan. I have an air plant sitting in a bowl on my dining room table right now. I love it there because it doesn't need a ton of light, livens up the space effortlessly, and still lets me see the beautiful inside of my bowl. What's not to love?
Although I do rinse mine in the sink once a week rather than once a month. So far, so good.
I want an air plant!
I LOVE my air plants, but they're NOT FOOLPROOF.
• They need to be misted at least once daily.
• Need good air circulation, therefore...
• You cannot leave them in a terrarium with a small opening.
• They have to soaked once a week.
I only saw photos of it, but the tillandsia shower at Dwell on Design looked amazing!
And everyone's pretty right on about soaking the air plants at least once a week. Once a month may keep them alive, but they certainly won't be happy, thriving plants on that schedule.
http://www.airplantsupplyco.com
I love, love, love air plants! I've been making so many air plant chandeliers lately, that I'm pretty sure my husband is afraid they're going to take over the apartment. (He might be right.)
Air plants are so much fun! We used them once for a green event. They sat in the middle of each dinner plate with the place card displayed in it.
are they poisonous to cats?
I've always loved them as well- generally keep them somewhere in the bathroom, either near the shower or window, and soak them every week or so. Nice to be able to have a little green in every corner of the house! :)
Laucus,
Here is generally a great site to look up whether plants are toxic to animals:
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/plants/
However, it doesn't list Tillandsia. A quick google search seems to confirm that Tillandsia are not toxic. I have them in my condo, and I keep them up high, because if not, my cats would love to play with them. They might not be harmful to cats, but my cats might be harmful to the plants ;)
Not sure I'd call these the "new" trend since I've been seeing them in catalogs for a while now, but yes, these are great little plants. I'm actually very familiar with them as my dad has been growing them ever since I can remember. His house has always had them in several different iterations and I absolutely love each and every one of them. The best part is when they shoot their neon blooms. Amazing show.
Thanks Taj. I've bookmarked that site. I didn't know aloe was toxic!
I like the hardiness of the air plants but I'd have to keep them up high too. I wonder if hanging them would be too tempting a target.
I love this article. I've linked it on my own site. Love the bowls and love the plants! They are living art installations!
just make sure your tillandsia isn't grabbed from the brazilian rainforest or some mountain in peru - like they were a few years ago. meanwhile, you can buy tillandsiae grown in nurseries. hooray!
There's an etsy shop that has air plants, terrariums, and little air plant terrariums! It's like a triple whammy!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/tortoiselovesdonkey
Pretty sure their airplants are grown in CA, to address In Everything's valid concerns.
Tillandsia are definitely NOT toxic to animals.
We recommend you to visit our site www.tucanexporters.net for more information about Tillandsia.
We are an Agriculture Export Business in the field of Ornamental Plants. Our Customers are importers, growers or Retailers all over the world who need quality products, consistent deliveries and high customer service in order to be successfull.
www.tucanexporters.net
Everything you could want to know about air plants here!
http://www.air-plants.com/
This is where I get mine. www.canadianairplant.com they are Canada's largest Air Plant Company and have the largest selection. They do wholesale too ;)