Creating With Tillandsias

 I use these little babies for my creative endeavors

I love tillandsias, commonly known as air plants or tillys, and have been using them in creative designs for years.  These days I’m busy making Christmas ornaments accented with tillandsias and succulents for our upcoming book.  I am thrilled to tell you that we are now selling them on our website.  You can check out that page for yourself right HERE.   In the meantime, here are a few ideas of what you can do with them and as usual there’s a video waiting at the end.

Varieties of tillandsias

wall hangings shown here with succulents

A look at tillandsias, or Tillys

 as conversation pieces

Stunning tillandsias

 in a hanging moss basket

Decorating with tillandsias

  a kissing ball

So many unique looks and ideas with tillandsias

 attached to a piece of wood & draped with spanish moss

Creating gardenscapes with tillandsias

  artfully arranged on a branch

Using a candlestick with the tillandsias

decorating a candlestick

Add tillandsias to the fall harvest

as accents in a centerpiece

Hanging ornament tillandsias

  in a mussel shell as an hanging ornament

Potted tillandsias

 my tillandsias in a pot with no soil at all

Care couldn’t be simpler.  Tillandsias are low maintenance plants that only require water.  Most varieties do fine with weekly misting, but others need to be soaked in water for 15-20 minutes a week.   Direct sunlight is not recommended, but often times will inspire color within some varieties.   Resist the urge to plant your tillandsia in soil – it will harm the plant.   

In nature they are epiphytes which means they grow on other plants.   Misting or soaking will  depend on your weather – more frequently when hot, and less frequently when cold.  Be sure to shake any excess water off your plant to prevent it from rotting out.  And, don’t soak a tillandsia which is in flower.

Lucy and I  visited the greenhouses where the tillandsias we’re selling are grown.  Bench after bench full of these beauties each one as interesting as the last.  Lucy took these pictures so I’m leaving the choices up to her.   I wanted them all!

Nell with tillandsias

IMG_0406

Nell in the garden

Unique tillandsias

Yes, tillandsias are fun to play with and can be used in so many ways.  Kids find them fascinating and it’s a great way to introduce them to the world of horticulture.   Anyone else love tillandsias as much as we do?

P.S.  You can have fun with tillandsias too.  Check out the ones we have for sale right HERE.

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11 Comments

  1. Great Jeavonna. Let me know if you have any questions (or challenges) with them – we’re here to help you out.

  2. I just received some for Christmas and think I’m already getting the fever, lol! But do have a question. I’m seeing that they can be mounted to driftwood, shells, etc with adhesive, but then how do you soak them weekly?

  3. Hi Susan – Yes, the fever is real! If mounted to driftwood, bark, etc, I’ve found it much easier to spray them rather than soaking. Depending on how dry their growing environment is, you’ll need to do it 2-5 times per week. If there’s moss involved, you can spray that too & that keeps things a bit more humid for longer. Happy New Year, Nell

  4. Hello,

    I really love plants especially the air plants. Right now I have only three (3) pieces of air plant. I want them to reproduce and multiply as much as possible. Please give me tips how to detouch them from the mother air plant, when and how to do that and to take care of the baby air plant. Thank you so much.

  5. Hi – I love air plants too. It’s easy to propagate them. Wait until the pup is a good size – at least 1/4 to 1/2 the size of the mother. Gently but firmly tear it apart from the mother. I’ve found that the pups need a little extra misting, maybe 3 times per week. If you soak them, don’t leave them in the water too long. Hope that helps! Nell

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