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zephyr plants are recurrent plants with a life anticipation of 2 – 5 years , bet on the smorgasbord you are grow and the industrial plant ’s health . However , blooming indicates the end of the Air flora lifespan cycle with several months to live .

Picture of dying air plant

Air plant are perennials , so they live through many growing seasons but how many years exactly ? This article elaborates on this matter , and I have some tips to increase life expectancy so that your Air Plant lives longer .

Table of content

The Lifespan of An Air Plant

The several hundred metal money of Air Plants come from comeuppance , timberland , and mountaintops . Although they do not demand soil , they are wonted to farm in several medium .

tune plant life , known as the Air Fern or Tillandsia , are colorful decorative plants that attach to almost any surface and begin growing . Understanding your Tillandsia ’s lifespan and life cycle is the first step in providing the well care for your plants .

A substantial milestone of the Air works life cycle is blossom . Air plant bloom only once in their lifetime . We know that flowering means your plant is near the end and has reached maturity .

Picture of an Air plant attached to a tree

The inflorescence point begins with the flush chaff or inflorescence . shortly these florescence will turn into Tillandsias flowers that come in different shape and shade of colouring material . You might have a individual flower or a cluster of flush . Your Tillandsia will also switch semblance and create a beautiful display of pinko and ruby during the blooming stage . Usually , the area near the leaf pourboire will develop a blush .

The Air Plant will not increase in size of it after this form , but they are not entirely stagnant because as theflowers embark on languish , the plant life will produce lilliputian pups or offsets . Most pups will develop near the base of the Tillandsia plant life , but some are hidden under the dried leaves of the main works .

Although you could not stop the main plant life from perish , you could multiply your industrial plant using the setoff . you may utilize each of them and propagate to grow unexampled Air plant . you may also let these offsets forge clusters to make a Tillandsia Ball . This growth cycle is how the plant preserve itself .

Picture of an Air plant with colorful leaves

Please wait for the pups to develop ½ the size of the chief flora before divide them or letting them grow on the plant life , and once the independent plant has completely withered off , separate it from the pups .

The plantlets are not the only thing your Air plant will produce because you might also glean some germ after the anthesis phase . you could collect and burgeon forth these seeds before they are wash aside through lachrymation or rainfall .

The last phase is when the inwardness turns blackish Brown University and begin rotting . The flower period is different from the overall lifetime of the Air Plants .

Picture of hand holding air plant offset

Air Plant blooms usually last at least two weeks , but some can last for a year . The blooming clip depends on your variety and the level of care ply . Like other perennials , Tillandsia inhabit more than two years ; usually , the maximum life sentence anticipation is five years .

What Factors Impact the Life Expectancy of Air Plants?

The health and lifespan of Tillandsia depend on the following factors .

How the Air Plant was Propagated?

The maturity date time will look on thepropagation method . Seed extension means your plant life takes at least five years to mature , whereas whelp or offsets division will ensue in a fledged plant within 2 - 3 year . The growth will be slower if you propagate via seed .

Some Air Plants growers account that industrial plant propagate using seeds are strong and sizeable than other method acting . Most growers buy their Air plants as a plantlet which take on less clock time to reach adulthood .

Type of Air Plant

The next factor is the metal money you are turn ; there are two main groups of Air Plants ; Xeric Tillandsias and Mesic Tillandsias . Xeric miscellanea are slow grower compared to the Mesic one , and this also means the Xeric plants will last longer because it takes them more prison term to get hold of matureness .

These groups are created based on the natural habitat of the Air Plants . The foliage grain also diverge ; Mesic Air plants have fuzzed leaves with many trichomes , whereas Xeric Air plants have smoother ones .

Growing Conditions

Remember , no matter what miscellany you grow , it all make out down to thecare you provide to keep your Air works thriving . If you do not create the required growing environment , draw a blank about years , your flora will die within a few month .

You must bear exceptional attention to the light , temperature , and humidity care schedule because these delicate plants will not show any damage symptoms . You should even pay care to the eccentric of piss you practice for these plants . Air plants prefer hydrant weewee rather of distilled pee . But make certain the tap water does not have a mellow Cl content .

As the name suggests , these perennial plants ’ melodic phrase supplying is essential . So control your aviation plant is situated in a location with good air circulation . Whether you grow your Air plant in a bed of rocks outdoors or a fancy glass container in spite of appearance , it should have band of space for expanding upon .

Picture of a blooming Air plant

How to Increase the Lifespan of Air Plants?

Everything end with flush .

increase the lifetime include knowing both the dos and don’ts of the epiphytic aura plant . Whether you are fresh to airwave plants or already have one , it ’s recognise that they do n’t develop in dirt in the natural environment . Even though some varieties are embed in soil , this growing culture medium will make an environment for mould and rot . Which eventually reduces the lifespan of your Air works .

you may practice the succeed gratuity to check your Air plant lives for as long as potential .

Treating the Air Plant Leaves

make up attention to the leaves to settle whether your plant is dying . The folio will start curling or wrinkling once they have dried . If you noticesome colour on the leavesof the primary plant , you’re able to take steps to increase the lifespan . Some immature leaves signify promise , and your plant is still active .

Caring for the Air Plant during Blooming

plant call for extra care during the blossom phase because most energy is consumed for blossom production . In the case of Air Plants , they also need the energy to produce the offsets . One of the crucial demand of your blossom Air Plant is moisture . Air plant do not need the same amount of piss , so knowing your growing mixed bag is essential .

Ensure you do not pass on any water on the flower because this will have the blossom to rot and buy the farm . In my judgment , misting air plants the plantfrom time to clip is safer , and leaves should only be wash .

Fertilizing Air Plants

Just because gentle wind plant boom without soil does not intend they do not need any nutrient for growth . These industrial plant engross nutrient from their surround in animal and plant waste , foliage litter , etc .

When grow as houseplants , fertilizing gentle wind plant can add a few months ( or perhaps years ) to their lifespan because it will heighten the blooming and accelerate the production of new offsets .

fluid plant food or any other form of soluble fertilizer are recommend for gentle wind plant because it ’s easier for the leaves to absorb the nutrients .

One precaution regarding fertilizing is not to apply fertilizers with Boron and Zinc . These two food might be helpful for some other houseplants , but they are serious for Tillandsias . invalidate using a urea - base fertilizer if your Air plant originate in a soilless medium .

Frequently Asked Questions

What causes the Air plant to die sooner than the average life expectancy?

Environmental stress , improper care , or carelessness can kill your Air plant before reach its life expectancy . Under and overwatering are the common culprits behind the other decease of your Air plants because they cause the plant to turn dark and rot . Sunburns due to direct sunshine picture can also demolish the leaves on this plant .

What should you do with your dead Air plants?

Plants contribute to nature even after death because they break down and become food for other go things in the natural habitat . you’re able to also compost your dead Air plant ; if not , you’re able to discard the plant life .

Will pruning help in encouraging growth in your Air plants?

Grooming your Tillandsias will better their appearance , but most importantly , it removes any dried - up or all in leaves and allows the plant life to use the nutrients to grow newfangled leafage or flowers .

Can your Air plant live forever?

Your Air plant species will live perpetually through the plantlets . But make you provide good care and keep the plantlet thriving .

How many pups or plantlets will your Air plant produce?

On average , Air plants usually acquire 1 - 3 plantlets on a single plant . This number can vary free-base on how well you cared for the mother plant , but these sister plant can be grown into new Tillandsias . Some growers have had up to 8 pups as well .

Will indoor Air plants live longer than the outdoors?

Whether you grow the Air plant indoors or alfresco , the main thing that will impact the lifespan span is the growing stipulation . Because in the end , the healthiest Air plant life will populate longer , which can be achieved in any acquire mise en scene as long as you maintain the ripe environment .

Conclusion

To conclude , Air plants have an exciting growth cycle per second . You might think your plant will finally die , but that only happens after it grows some plantlets for you .

The colourful florescence stage of the atmosphere plants ends with a unexampled plant life , so it ’s not precisely the end of your works . The article ’s tips will help you maximise the raw growth oscillation and continue your precious Air plant . you could pick out any plant from our list of20 Air Plants to Grow at Homeand set out your collection of Air Plants .