How to Water Air Plants Like Aeriums and Tillandsia Mounts

Air plants are tropical plants that thrive without needing soil to grow in. There are a number of varieties of air plants including tillandsia, xerographica, and aeriums. Air plants should be displayed on dry materials or settings such as rocks or hooks, so they don’t inadvertently absorb too much moisture.

Below, we’re sharing how to water air plants so they thrive and look their best.

How Often Should You Water Air Plants

Air plants are commonly found in areas with high temperatures and high humidity. If you keep them indoors, you will want to try and mimic their natural habitat, so they may need watering fairly frequently, depending on how humid your house interior is.

The frequency of watering also depends on the watering method you use: submersion watering can be done less often than misting because the leaves will tend to absorb more water via submersion. A good rule of thumb is to water your air plant every week to ten days.

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How to Water Air Plants

You can water air plants in one of two ways: by submerging the leaves in water or by misting. If you choose the submersion method, be sure to shake all excess water from the plant afterward. Also, it’s important to avoid letting the roots get too wet, as this can lead to rot and other problems.

Submersion Method

This is a commonly used method and allows the air plant to absorb a good amount of water. It mimics the heavy rainstorms that occur in tropical climates where air plants are found.

1. Clean off any dead or damaged plant parts. Use clean snips to trim any unwanted bits of the plant.
2. Submerge the leaves of the plant in a shallow bowl of water. Use spring water or distilled water, or let your tap water sit for an hour so that chemicals can dissipate.
3. Allow to sit for a few minutes, then shake all excess water from the plant. You can also lay the plant on a paper towel to absorb any excess water.
4. Dry the plant completely before returning it to its normal location. Do this for at least three hours to make sure it’s free of excess moisture.

Misting Method

The best and easiest way to water air plants is to use a mist sprayer. If the sprayer nozzle has different settings, use the one that produces a fine mist, instead of a jet spray. Because the plant absorbs less water using this method, you will probably want to do it a bit more often.

1. Fill the mist sprayer with spring water or distilled water. Allow tap water to sit for an hour before using it to allow chemicals to dissipate.
2. Hang the air plant on a hook or edge of a bowl so you can access beneath it. You can also hold the plant in one hand and spray it with the other if it is small enough to handle.
3. Spray the leafy parts of the air plant. You may need to turn or lift some of the leaves to get the mist to their undersides.

3 Signs of Underwatering Air Plants

It can be a bit tricky to tell if your air plants are receiving enough water since there is no soil to check for moisture. If your air plants need more water, there are some things you can look for to determine if they need more frequent watering.

Texture of Leaves Look Dull or Wrinkled

Many air plants have a somewhat matte appearance to their leaf surface, but if their usual vibrant look seems lackluster, they may be craving some more moisture. The leaves may look less full or thick than usual, meaning they’re losing some moisture.

Tips of Leaves Turn Brown and Dry

Leaf tips turning brown is a sure sign that your air plants need more water. If the leaves are brown and crispy looking, the leaves aren’t getting enough moisture and should be watered more often.

Leaves Start to Droop or Flatter

Air plants usually have firm, healthy leaves when they’re in good condition. If the leaves lose some of their fullness or firmness, they may be lacking water.

3 Signs of Overwatering Air Plants

It’s definitely possible to overwater your air plants, and overwatering is the most common way to kill them, so look for these signs to help you avoid giving them too much water.

Soft Mushy “Roots”

If the base or “roots” of your air plant are soft and mushy, they’re rotted. You can try trimming off these rotted parts to see if the plant revives, but if the entire base is mushy, the plant is probably not salvageable.

Yellowing Leaves

Too much moisture will sometimes change the leaf color of air plants. Yellow leaves are usually a sign of excess moisture. If the leaves turn yellow, give them a break from watering for a bit until the color returns to normal. You can also trim off the yellow leaves.

Base of Plant Turns Black and Falls Apart

If the base of your air plant turns dark brown or black or starts to fall apart, this usually means the roots are rotten. Usually, once the base turns black and starts to fall apart, there’s nothing to be done to save the plant.