Living

Buy or DIY: 5 Ideas for Displaying Tillandsia

updated Jul 15, 2020
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Tillandsia (or air plants) are perhaps best known for being low-maintenance plants you can place inside a terrarium as they don’t need soil to grow. But if you’re tired of seeing miniature xeriscaped scenes inside what look like miniature greenhouses, here are a few ways to think outside the glass box.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

1. Geometric mobile: Brass Himmeli Prism from Hruskaa, Email for price. Or, you can make your own mobile (inspired by the Himmeli) with some string and a handful of straws.

2. Wall mounts: Barn Wood Wall Mounts from NiaCraft, $28.50 for set of 3. These wooden bases are reminiscent of how you’d mount a staghorn fern, and look great lined up on a wall.

3. Sea urchins: The Wispy Duo from peacocktaco, $24 for set of 2. Tiny, delicate sea urchins make beautiful vessels for tillandsia, but you can flow with this idea and try a variety of other shells scavenged from the shore.

4. Artsy wood holder: Rustic Reclaimed Wood Holder from triple7recycled, $25. We love the idea of using string art to suspend an air plant inside a wooden frame. (And while you’re at it, here are some more ways to use up a box of nails and a roll of twine.)

5. Salvaged wood: Natural Petrified Wood Piece from Barnwood Blooms, $45. Fallen manzanita branches and gnarled driftwood pieces also make lovely bases for air plants; simply tuck them into the crevices or dab some hot glue on the stems to attach.