Publisher's Synopsis
Air plants have stepped into the houseplant spotlight for both their ease of care and the many creative ways they can be displayed. Head to your favorite local nursery and you're sure to find sea shells, glass globes, and wooden frames filled with air plants on display. These free-living plants are fairly unique in the plant world, but just because they don't need to be planted in a pot of soil, doesn't mean they don't have care requirements. Though it isn't difficult, air plant care is surprisingly specific.The name "air plant" comes from their capability to grow without soil. Most are epiphytes, which attach to other plants. However, they do not steal nutrients or water from their host, only using it as a home to grow on. And some are aerophytes, which have no roots and grow on shifting desert dirt. Most species absorb moisture and nutrients through the leaves from rain, dew, dust, decaying leaves and insects.Air plants photosynthesize through a process called CAM cycle, where they close their stomata during the day to prevent water loss and open them at night to fix carbon dioxide and release oxygen. This allows them to preserve water, because they can only absorb water in small amounts through their leaves.Air plants (Tillandsia) are incredibly unique and come in 450 different varieties. They are classified under the bromeliad family which covers a wide variety of 3,475 mainly tropical plant species - this means that air plants are related to pineapples! They live in different regions that range from the top of Argentina to the southern US. The two main types of air plants are xeric and mesic. Xeric Tillandsia live in desert climates and can survive with less water and more sun than their tropical counterparts (mesic Tillandsia)
