Air plants, also known as air carnations or tillandsia, are very curious. To begin with, they do not need to be planted in a pot, or with soil, for them to prosper, but having them in a support or similar is fine. But how to hang a carnation from the air?
If you have one or are going to buy one soon, here we give you the keys so you can know how to hang it, where and some main care of the tillandsias. Go for it?
Where to hang a carnation from the air
As we have told you before, tillandsias are plants that do not need to be planted to develop. They are called epiphytes because of this condition and although they may not attract attention at first, there is no doubt that sooner or later, if you like plants, they will end up in your collection.
Now, where to hang the carnation from the air?
First of all, you should know what the ideal conditions are for the carnation of the air to grow healthy. And, in this sense, you must control the lighting, which must be abundant with only a few hours of soft direct sun (either early in the morning or late in the afternoon).
La temperature should be between 10 and 30 degrees. Now, depending on the air plant you choose, it may be able to adapt to lower or higher temperatures.
And where to put it? In most cases they hang, that is, they will be suspended in the air. But that does not mean that it will be the only way; You could also put it on a stand or even in a container like a fountain or similar to decorate a table.
Depending on the size as well as the space you have available, you can choose one place or another (or one way of hanging it or another, something we are going to talk about next).
How to hang a carnation from the air
One of the doubts that many people have when they acquire a carnation from the air is where to hang it. Although in reality, there are many places to put it, it is normal for it to be suspended in the air, but how to do it?
If you have ever seen a tillandsia you will know that it has very few roots, or almost none, which means that you do not know how to tie it well. But it is not difficult at all. In fact there are many options:
With nylon thread
One of the most common is to use nylon thread to hang a carnation from the air. Being thin and transparent, it may not be seen and that makes it really simulate that it is suspended without any support.
You can leave it hanging with the help of a lamp or even a ring on the ceiling, in such a way that it falls from it.
woman stockings
Women's stockings are recommended in many forums because they are delicate and will not damage your air carnation. Of course, first of all, it is advisable to wash them and then fix them well (be careful, strips of stockings are used that, in addition to being elastic, will not look bad either, quite the opposite).
using a stand
As you know, stores sell hanging brackets, made of crochet or fabric. Well, the idea is to place the tillandsias in them to decorate. And the truth is that they look great (you have an example in the photo that heads this article).
With ropes
How about using a bit of string to go around the base of the tillandsia to hang it so it's suspended? Many do this, in addition to taking advantage and placing several along the rope, and they look great.
Others, using this same method, they decide to stick them with «silicone». The idea is not a bad one, but you must bear in mind that the silicone will prevent the plant from developing correctly and in the long run it can cause problems for it.
On tree trunks
For example, if you have a bonsai that has passed away, or a part of the trunk, you could tie the tillandsia to it, simulating that it “lives” in the tree, which, after all, is its natural habitat.
In fact, if you do it right it is more than likely that the carnation of the air will develop stronger roots that adhere to the bark of the tree (which is why we do not advise you to use silicone to fix it, but nylon thread or similar).
With a base stand
If you have ever looked at accessories for air carnations, you will have noticed that they are also sold supports to place the plant on. They are another option if you don't want it hanging, but rather placed on a table and as a "vase".
The problem is that if your plant is already very large, the safest thing is that you do need to hang it since, simply placed on the surface, it will mean that a part of the plant does not receive the light, water or humidity necessary to survive.
Air carnation care
You must understand that not only by hanging it in the right place and in the right way the little plant will already be healthy and will start to grow like crazy. The truth is that no. And it's all because, like any other, you need to comply with a series of important care.
These are:
- Location. As we have told you, it will need a well-lit place with a few hours of sun, but not many.
- Temperature. We remember it, a pleasant temperature, not too hot, and if you also give it humidity, much better.
- Irrigation. The air carnation is not a plant that you have to "water". Or at least not that you should do it like the other plants. For her, the most important thing is humidity since that is how she feeds. That said, in summer you may need some special (and more abundant) watering than in winter. And how are they watered? It's very simple, just fill a container with water (or the bathtub if you have many) and throw them into the water. Leave them for about 20 minutes and then let them dry well (this is important because it can rot if you don't).
- Subscriber. Because the plant has no soil and therefore no nutrients to feed on, it is important that it is sprayed with water from time to time. And if these have a little liquid fertilizer, much better.
Now that you know how to hang the air carnation and the minimum care to provide it, would you dare to have a plant without a pot in your home?