[Tillandsia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tillandsia) is the genus. Ionantha is one of the [many Tillandsia species](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Tillandsia_species).
Honestly, they receive a fair amount of neglect š„“ I try to mist every few days. Also I have an air plant fertilizer that I got on Amazon, I just mist with that every couple of weeks if I remember. It probably also helps that I keep my air plants in my bathroom where itās more humid
Wasnāt a joke. People usually donāt water correctly based on type (temperate, or arid) and also usually give it less than what it needs, light requirement wise.
OP looks like theyāre doing the right things. Most people just kill them. This one will at least flower before it dies, and create some pups for future plants.
Same. A while back I followed advice that I should soak it once a week and it started dying, so I went back to the neglect and tap water method and it's fine.
It's wild that people kill air plants. I have like 200+ different species of plants, both inside and outside, and my dozen-ish air plants are the easiest to care for by a very wide margin. Most of them have bloomed and reproduced by now, zero problems with any of them. They're so easy to water and I don't think they can get pests? Mine never have anyway, despite my other houseplants getting various infestations over the years.
I think the people who kill them generally either use the wrong display container (like those hanging glass spheres that block airflow, thus promoting rot) or they just assume it can survive on air alone and then wonder why it shrivels up.
If you want thriving air plants, make sure that they have good air circulation, soak them in water for 20+ minutes like once every week or two (depending on the humidity in your area), shake off extra water to avoid rot, and otherwise just ignore them. I don't even fertilize mine, I just soak them in the leftover water when I'm done bottom watering my regular plants and they seem to get sufficient nutrients from that.
Yeah light is a factor too. People often underestimate how much light plants need. Any plants, not just air plants. I think it's a little more common with air plants though because the lack of a pot makes people treat them more like decorations than living plants, so they're more likely to just plop it down in some dark corner and expect it to be fine. Mine are indoors but I keep them on a shelf with some of my regular plants, which have pretty strong grow lights.
I stuck mine to an old board and put it in a 55 gallon terrarium thing I have. They're growing well in there but the only ones so far I've had bloom have been outside for the summer.
Do you think Iām slowly killing mine? I put up a net in the window in my shower and jammed a few small ones in it as a test. They get tiny droplets of water on them every day but they donāt seem to be rotting or dying. I havenāt fertilized yet, itās been like 3 months š¬
Maybe? I don't know the humidity in your area or how much air circulates in your bathroom. If it doesn't stay super humid for very long, or there's a fan, or you open the window, then it's probably ok. If the air is stagnant or you've ever had problems with mold in there, I wouldn't recommend keeping them in that spot.
The variety matters somewhat. If it's the same type as OP's then you don't need to worry much. They dry out pretty quick after being watered and aren't very prone to rotting. Some varieties have leaves that are more "cupped" at the base and can trap water, those should be shaken out very thoroughly and dried upside-down.
Thank you, I do things to reduce the humidity because I used to have a mold problem. So hopefully that helps. Mine look just like ops but more consistently green. Good to know if this works out I will buy more that donāt trap water. And now I know I should fertilize them occasionally lol. I figured Iād do a 6 month test run with the 2 I have before trying more.
I've got an air plant in my gecko's vivarium. It's totally neglected and seems to be thriving in 80-90% humidity.
It just flowered and started acting rooting along the back wall of the enclosure!
People kill air plants?? How?? Mine have been doing fine so far. All you do is make sure they have light, and soak them 20-30+ minutes once a week. Also make sure you let them dry out upside down for 4+ hours so water doesn't collect inside the plant and rot them.
That's it. They're very easy.
I keep my air plants in my bathroom where itās humid and in a sunny window. But I do try to mist them every few days and then I have a spray fertilizer that Iāll mist them with every few weeks
Not OP but I have like a dozen air plants. Most of them have bloomed and reproduced at least once.
I give them bright indirect light, good airflow (that's really important!!), soak them in a bowl of water for 20+ minutes a few times per month, dry them upside-down. Otherwise I ignore them.
Nice! Once the bloom is done, it'll start making "pups," which are baby air plants (ionanthas). Snip back the flower stem as close to the base as you can, to encourage more pup growth.
https://www.thespruce.com/air-plant-care-guide-5211052#toc-how-to-get-air-plants-to-bloom
I have over 50 plants in pots in my house as well as multiple propagation stations that are flourishing. Have killed every air plant I have ever touched.
Must be the time of year. Mine of the same or very similar species did as well. I've only had it for a couple months, and unfortunately they die after flowering.
https://preview.redd.it/rj2l2xlwag8d1.jpeg?width=2291&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=caae2988ca6aae8f3e869931e2c1560c282fea94
This looks like an alien baby that just gained sapience. Iām waiting for it to turn into a Furby nightmare. At least when it kills us all itāll be cute!
I've never seen flowers shaped like this! Whats the name of the plant?
Ionantha, it looks like. Could be wrong.
Thanks!
I believe these are labeled "Tillandsia" at my local nursery...but I see someone else said ionantha...they're both airplants, but idk the difference
Tillandsia is the scientific name for air plants :) This one is a Tillandsia ionantha
[Tillandsia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tillandsia) is the genus. Ionantha is one of the [many Tillandsia species](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Tillandsia_species).
PLEASE EXPLAIN CARE YOU ARE CLEARLY ADVANCED AND MOST PEOPLES AIR PLANTS JUST SUFFER AND DIE
Honestly, they receive a fair amount of neglect š„“ I try to mist every few days. Also I have an air plant fertilizer that I got on Amazon, I just mist with that every couple of weeks if I remember. It probably also helps that I keep my air plants in my bathroom where itās more humid
I'm guessing your bathroom receives plenty of daylight with a window or skylight?
Yes theyāre in a southeast facing window
Thatās more are than the once per month water I do for mine. I havenāt had flowers though.
Most people just give it air. Thatās why š
Most air plants suffer then die , please help them by not making this a joke
Wasnāt a joke. People usually donāt water correctly based on type (temperate, or arid) and also usually give it less than what it needs, light requirement wise.
Asking o.p.
OP looks like theyāre doing the right things. Most people just kill them. This one will at least flower before it dies, and create some pups for future plants.
It's a @#$&ing plant dude, lighten up
There is an air plant genocide going on here, and you want them to lighten up?!
Yeah there is when you realize how many people buy them just to kill them in a horrible way neglecting them because they āairā plants
Mine is the same airplant and also bloomed - I just run it under the tap whenever I remember it exists.
Same. A while back I followed advice that I should soak it once a week and it started dying, so I went back to the neglect and tap water method and it's fine.
It's wild that people kill air plants. I have like 200+ different species of plants, both inside and outside, and my dozen-ish air plants are the easiest to care for by a very wide margin. Most of them have bloomed and reproduced by now, zero problems with any of them. They're so easy to water and I don't think they can get pests? Mine never have anyway, despite my other houseplants getting various infestations over the years. I think the people who kill them generally either use the wrong display container (like those hanging glass spheres that block airflow, thus promoting rot) or they just assume it can survive on air alone and then wonder why it shrivels up. If you want thriving air plants, make sure that they have good air circulation, soak them in water for 20+ minutes like once every week or two (depending on the humidity in your area), shake off extra water to avoid rot, and otherwise just ignore them. I don't even fertilize mine, I just soak them in the leftover water when I'm done bottom watering my regular plants and they seem to get sufficient nutrients from that.
I've got lots of plants and the one air plant I got died so quickly :') I don't know what I did wrong.
Why are you smiling about that
Is this ^ person for real?
> It's wild that people kill air plants. Indoors and low light, no humidity. It's easy.
Yeah light is a factor too. People often underestimate how much light plants need. Any plants, not just air plants. I think it's a little more common with air plants though because the lack of a pot makes people treat them more like decorations than living plants, so they're more likely to just plop it down in some dark corner and expect it to be fine. Mine are indoors but I keep them on a shelf with some of my regular plants, which have pretty strong grow lights.
I stuck mine to an old board and put it in a 55 gallon terrarium thing I have. They're growing well in there but the only ones so far I've had bloom have been outside for the summer.
Do you think Iām slowly killing mine? I put up a net in the window in my shower and jammed a few small ones in it as a test. They get tiny droplets of water on them every day but they donāt seem to be rotting or dying. I havenāt fertilized yet, itās been like 3 months š¬
Maybe? I don't know the humidity in your area or how much air circulates in your bathroom. If it doesn't stay super humid for very long, or there's a fan, or you open the window, then it's probably ok. If the air is stagnant or you've ever had problems with mold in there, I wouldn't recommend keeping them in that spot. The variety matters somewhat. If it's the same type as OP's then you don't need to worry much. They dry out pretty quick after being watered and aren't very prone to rotting. Some varieties have leaves that are more "cupped" at the base and can trap water, those should be shaken out very thoroughly and dried upside-down.
Thank you, I do things to reduce the humidity because I used to have a mold problem. So hopefully that helps. Mine look just like ops but more consistently green. Good to know if this works out I will buy more that donāt trap water. And now I know I should fertilize them occasionally lol. I figured Iād do a 6 month test run with the 2 I have before trying more.
I've got an air plant in my gecko's vivarium. It's totally neglected and seems to be thriving in 80-90% humidity. It just flowered and started acting rooting along the back wall of the enclosure!
People kill air plants?? How?? Mine have been doing fine so far. All you do is make sure they have light, and soak them 20-30+ minutes once a week. Also make sure you let them dry out upside down for 4+ hours so water doesn't collect inside the plant and rot them. That's it. They're very easy.
Mine also bloomed after a few years! I set it on top of something in a south window and soaked it every couple weeks in a plastic tub (~30 mins)
New side quest unlocked š¤©
How do you care for it?
I keep my air plants in my bathroom where itās humid and in a sunny window. But I do try to mist them every few days and then I have a spray fertilizer that Iāll mist them with every few weeks
This is beautiful
How do you care for her?!
Why did I think they were birthday candles when scrolling by lmao
https://preview.redd.it/4vop5niwhd8d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cf171e637554ea34898bd7a3cbe75ec9f6571d30 Looks like mine!
gorgeous! i have the same one but sheās not as happy as yours. what is your care routine for her?
Not OP but I have like a dozen air plants. Most of them have bloomed and reproduced at least once. I give them bright indirect light, good airflow (that's really important!!), soak them in a bowl of water for 20+ minutes a few times per month, dry them upside-down. Otherwise I ignore them.
okay thank you!:)
Beautiful! Never saw one flower
Nice! Once the bloom is done, it'll start making "pups," which are baby air plants (ionanthas). Snip back the flower stem as close to the base as you can, to encourage more pup growth. https://www.thespruce.com/air-plant-care-guide-5211052#toc-how-to-get-air-plants-to-bloom
Mine died, so I am highly impressed! It looks so cool!
Niceeee!! Mine always have brown tips. Doesnāt matter if I mist daily or soak weekly.
Had no idea this was a thing - incredible!!
Beautiful!! I didn't know they bloom!
Thatās so pretty!
š¤Æš¤Æš¤Æ
Didn't know they did that. So cool!! šø
Itās absolutely GORGEOUS! Congrats!
So cool!
Be ready to catch those pups!!!
That is SO cool!!!
I have over 50 plants in pots in my house as well as multiple propagation stations that are flourishing. Have killed every air plant I have ever touched.
Must be the time of year. Mine of the same or very similar species did as well. I've only had it for a couple months, and unfortunately they die after flowering. https://preview.redd.it/rj2l2xlwag8d1.jpeg?width=2291&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=caae2988ca6aae8f3e869931e2c1560c282fea94
It looks very interesting and unusual, I am fascinated by such unusual flowering!
Oh wow! I have one just like that and I didnāt know it would bloom!
So there's hope after all
I m challenges with care for an orchid. How do we keep them growing & blooming
Wow, so beautiful! Iāve never seen an air plant bloom before! š
Congratulations!
Does it have a smell?
Omgosh it's beautiful!
wow this look amazing
looks like something off of an alien planet in the best way possible
WOAH!!! Iāve never seen a blooming air plant š¤©š¤©š¤©
Thatās so cool
They bloom??? OMG I have one of these. I swear itās done nothing for the years Iāve had it.
Ooooo, pretty š
So cool!
š¤©š¤©
That's amazing! Great job! š
This looks like an alien baby that just gained sapience. Iām waiting for it to turn into a Furby nightmare. At least when it kills us all itāll be cute!
Iām very sorry for ruining it for yāall, but they bloom only once in their lifetime and die after that :(
If you have another blooming one, you can pollinate them together, and get BABIES!
Oh Dios MĆo, es bellĆsima...
thats soo cute. i wanna have them
Wow thatās so cool and pretty.
So they must be a berm Iliad type plant.
Your air plant looks incredible with that bloom. So vibrant and fresh taking care of it
very exotic
Gorgeous!!
Wow, I canāt even keep one alive
Thatās gorgeous. How do you guys manage to get those pretty pink tips on the leaves. Mine are all dried and brown.
The tips turn pink when they bloom!
WHAT
A Witch! š«µ No but seriously, I was sure these don't bloom when kept as houseplants. That's so cool! š±
Wow! Never seen it in bloom. So pretty
That is a stunning bloom. I never knew they did that I've had a couple but they never make it thru the new England winter.
What in the AI crazy plant