You must have heard about types of air plants famous for their attractive and refreshing looks. Even if you have not, we have got you covered. Air plants belong to the perennial category, available in more than 500 species in many world regions. It originates from the Tillandsia genus and Bromeliad family.
The specialty and unique thing about air plants is that they need no soil in their roots. The air plants flourish on moisture extracted from the air. Therefore, we call them air plants. The natural habitat of air plants lies in warm and arid environments harboring bright and filtered light. In these regions, they grow on the bark of the trees and are known as Epiphytes.
Apart from their natural environment, you can use air plants as indoor houseplants for mini gardening or home décor. You might wonder how they survive indoors. Well, air plants can surprise you as they thrive under fluorescent lighting indoors. But, if you are confused about selecting the best air plant for you, things will be easier for you from now on.
Types of Air Plants
So now you must have become a fan of air plants. If so, you must wait no longer and buy beautiful air plants to hang indoors or on barks of trees to greet you every morning. Here is a list of various air or sky plants under the species Tillandsia.
#1. Sky Plant (Tillandsia ionantha)
The air plant that intrigues many people is the sky plant or Tillandsia ionantha. It comes in many forms, with a primary species and dozens of cultivars.
Because of their complex and beautiful nature, sky plants attract plant lovers. The silvery-green leaves mark the point of attraction of Tillandsia ionantha. Later, these grow and extend into deep shades of red and pink. It blooms with violet blossoms and experiences the color change preceding it.
Sky plants are difficult to kill due to their rigid structure. This air plant is native to Mexico, Central America, and South America. It requires bright indirect sun exposure and possesses a height of 6-12 inches.
#2. Druid Sky Plant (Tillandsia ionantha ‘Druid’)
Druid Sky plant is another attractive version of sky plants or Tillandsia ionantha.
But, unlike sky plants, Tillandsia ionantha Druids display more unusual colors. They turn peachy pink rather than red on growing and extending. The flowers are white rather than violet, as in Tillandsia ionantha.
These plants rise only to 2-4 inches. But, Druid sky plants are still exquisite and attractive.
#3. Maxima Sky Plant (Tillandsia ionantha Maxima or Huamela)
This plant is not attractive by name but steals hearts compared to other air plants. It is apart from the crowd when it blooms with purple blossoms with coral red leaves.
The best part about Tillandsia ionantha Maxima is that it can sustain strong sunlight where many other air plants fail. This air plant is worth watching during the blooming season as it fills with many flowers simultaneously.
Maxima sky plant is also known for its relatively more extended height of 5-6 inches and spread of 3-4 inches. So this air plant can add glory to your indoors.
#4. Fuego Sky Plant (Tillandsia ionantha Fuego)
Do you want a perfect air plant addition to your tabletop? Then the Fuego sky plant may be the suitable alternative for you. It comes with many specialties being the cultivar breed.
Tillandsia ionantha Fuego is a tiny version of beauty and serenity with bloom and blushes with bright colors for a longer time. Though the height is small, Fuego fills out in the space in no time and displays its radiance for months.
#5. Pink Quill Plant (Tillandsia Cyanea)
Tillandsia cyanea is a native of Ecuador, known for its pink feathery structure. It resembles a quill where the pink braces fan a feather surrounded by purple poking flowers on the sides. So you can imagine how these tiny air plants refresh the environment.
Unlike other air plants, a uniqueness it holds is that it can even grow in soil. The height of the Pink Quill Plant is 8-12 inches.
#6. Mad Pupper (Tillandsia Aeranthos Bergeri)
If you want to make your springs awesome, Tillandsia aeranthos bergeri or Mad Pupper is waiting for you. The vibrant, spiky pink and blue flowers it blooms into during spring will make you fall in love.
This air plant height is 6-10 inches and has its origin in South America. They can flourish the best under bright, indirect, or fluorescent light. Moreover, you won’t grow tired with Mad Pupper as it requires low maintenance.
Bonus Read: 6 Best Backyard Forest Landscape Ideas
#7. Kolbii (Tillandsia scaposa Kolbii)
Tillandsia scaposa Kolbii is a native of Guatemala and occurs in many varieties. The specialty of Kolbii is that it extends tall and upright rather than spreading sideways.
You can easily recognize these air plants as they closely resemble a bunch of celery and do not grow very big with a height of 2-5 inches.
Kolbii becomes most noticeable during their pre-blooming phase when they get a pink blush with a soft gray color on the leaves. You can keep it under bright and indirect sunlight.
#8. Brachycaulos (Tillandsia Brachycaulos)
A native of Mexico, Central America, and Venezuela, Tillandsia brachycaulos is an air plant with a red tinge. It emerges and spreads from a central growing point, turning red during the pre-blooming season. If they do not get a natural red appearance, the cultivators often dye the leaves to instill a flower-like impression.
These air plants have a height of 2-8 inches and a spread of around 4 inches. So Brachycaulos may be the one for your indoors.
#9. Cacticola (Tillandsia Cacticola)
Cacticola is a native of Peru that usually grows on Cacti plants. It is a rare air plant type with the most exquisitely lavender flowers. The unique part about Cacticola is how it holds the flowers above its silvery green rosette of leaves.
A long stem arising from amid the leaves raises the lavender flowers to a height of 8-9 inches above the plant, thus enhancing its beauty to a great extent. Cacticola rises to a height of 3-9 inches.
#10. Bulbous Air Plant (Tillandsia Bulbosa)
Tillandsia bulbosa is an exciting air plant with an intriguing shape and structure. The roots are bulbous from which the air plant gets its name.
You can compare the appearance of bulbous air plants to tentacles with contorted, narrow leaves. They get a red or purple impression during the pre-blooming season.
Now, do you want to hear the exciting part? Well, Tillandsia bulbosa are great friends to ants and act as a place to live and blossom. The ants, in turn, feed the air plant with its waste, and hence they coexist perfectly.
#11. Peach Air Plant (Tillandsia capitata peach)
Peach Air plants have a great combination of colors between leaves and flowers, and the blooming season is worth watching. It has rosettes silver-green in color. These transform into a peachy appearance, perfect for holding purple flowers.
The unique part about Tillandsia capitata peach is its high degree of softness, which would make you want to touch it repeatedly.
#12. Circinata (Tillandsia circinata)
Have you ever seen a bulb of fennel? If not, Circinata will give you a clear hint because it closely resembles it. A native of the Bahamas and Costa Rica, Tillandsia circinata is known for its thick silvery green leaves with yellow or purple flowers.
It grows up to a height of 6-8 inches and one inch across the base. You can choose this air plant to enhance your garden appearance.
#13. Cotton Candy (Tillandsia stricta x Tillandsia recurvifolia cotton candy)
Cotton candy is a mixed breed of Tillandsia stricta and Tillandsia recurvifolia. This air plant steals the show with pink flowers.
So these tiny cotton candy air plants will make you blush every time you look at them. But make sure you keep them under a bright light to envision the flowers in their best forms.
Also Read: 21 Different Types of Ferns Plant – Indoor & Outdoor Varieties
#14. Funkiana (Tillandsia funkiana)
A native of Venezuela, the Funkiana air plant can be the best choice for decorating your desktop or terrarium. These air plants have no definite shape and take odd, curly, and spiral shapes as they grow.
It is another short air plant with red leaves during the pre-blooming season. The yellow flowers of Tillandsia funkiana with red inflorescence will no doubt charm your eyes.
#15. Dyeriana (Tillandsia dyeriana)
We know Tillandsia dyeriana for its bright orange inflorescence with a tropical flair. You can even grow these air plants in pots to provide them with a suitable amount of moisture.
So if you want to make it your air plant, make sure you provide lots of humidity for it to grow and flourish well.
Summary
So the above list of 15 air plants is sure to fill the garden and indoors with freshness and charm. Do not forget to use this gardening tip that you must light mist your air plants twice or thrice a week.
Doing this will keep them hydrated and watch them flourishing forever. Then hurry up and pick your best match because your indoors need a beautiful addition.