epiphyte

It’s winter and I’m bored.  I don’t really want to do outside garden chores, even on a 70+ degree day like today.  But I’m longing for something green and growing to tend.  So I’ve turned my attention to one of the easiest plants you can grow — tillandsias.

If you struggle with houseplants, these are the plants for you.  They require almost no care.

One of the latest gardening trends, you can find tillandsias in nurseries, boutiques and home stores adorning hanging glass globes, ceramic bowls and pieces of driftwood.

Tillandsia is an air plant — an epiphyte.  It doesn’t need soil to grow, but rather gets its water and nutrients from the air.  You can mount it or simply set it in a container.  It needs bright, indirect light.  You can mist your tillandsia with a spray bottle once a week, or submerge the plant in water and then remove it and turn it upside down so it doesn’t hold water in the crown, then put it back in your container.

These are my latest tillandsias, bought last week on a nursery outing.  I have two beautiful glass globes for my tillandsias.  I sometimes put lichen, rocks or sticks into the globe with the plants.  In this globe, I have placed a tiny metal bird cage from our fairy garden to accent the two tillandsias.

I chose these because I like the contrast between the bold, bright green plant on the right and the feathery, gray-green plant on the left.  And if you look closely, you’ll see that there is a bloom forming on the feathery one, arching just over the other plant.

I love their ephemeral look.  I love that they are low-maintenance.  And most of all, I love that these only cost me $1.49 each since I’ve killed several plants that came before them. 

Yes, I know what you’re thinking – how hard is it to remember to mist once a week?  Apparently, pretty hard!  But, it also gives me an excuse to go plant shopping.

So, if you’re missing your garden in the middle of winter – find a fun container and adopt a tillandsia today.

Check back for another post about the other tillandsia container.