One of the many reasons people cherish Tillandsias is the fact that with patience and love, you can be rewarded with a family of smaller air plants after the original plant has bloomed. This type of a-sexual reproduction by off-sets or “pups” is the most reliable way to propagate air plants, especially in a home or residential garden environment. However, it is not the only way we produce air plants that we sell for your enjoyment! At our farm, we also practice seedling reproduction. Reproducing the various species through seeds and pollination is a more arduous process, requiring years of patience, nevertheless we are rewarded with a high quantity of quality plants in the long term.
Both types of reproduction begin once the air plant has reached maturity. An air plant is considered to be mature when it has begun to bloom. After blooming, a plant is ready to start both processes below, sometimes concurrently.
Air plants, also known as tillandsia, are epiphytic plants that can grow without soil by absorbing moisture and nutrients from the air. These exotic looking plants have captured the hearts of plant enthusiasts with their unusual shapes and textures. While air plants are quite easy to care for, propagating them from seeds can be trickier but definitely rewarding. This comprehensive guide will uncover everything you need to know about air plant seeds – from harvesting and storing to germinating and sowing them successfully.
Harvesting Air Plant Seeds
To harvest seeds from your air plants, you need to wait for them to bloom. Different air plant species bloom at varying times. Bloom stalks will emerge from the center of the plant with buds that eventually open into colorful flowers. Pay close attention daily during this blooming period.
Once the flowers are fully open with visible pollen on the anthers, it’s time to pollinate them by hand. Use a small brush to transfer pollen from the male anthers to the female stigma of the same or different blooms. This allows the plant to be fertilized and produce seed pods.
Leave the faded blooms in place until the seed pods are completely dried out and split open Then carefully cut them off and collect the tufts of seeds and fibers within, Pick out any unviable seeds and discard
Storing Air Plant Seeds
Proper storage is crucial for maintaining air plant seed viability over time Follow these steps after harvesting
-
Spread seeds out on a paper towel and allow to fully dry in a cool, dry spot away from direct light.
-
Once dried, transfer to an airtight glass jar or ziplock bag. Press excess air out before sealing.
-
Label with plant name and harvest date.
-
Store in a dark, dry place with temperatures between 60-70°F.
-
Check periodically and discard any seeds showing signs of mold.
-
Most air plant seeds remain viable for up to 1 year when stored correctly.
Germinating Air Plant Seeds
Germinating air plant seeds requires warmer temperatures, high humidity, and bright filtered light. Here are some tips for success:
-
Soak seeds in room temperature water for 24-48 hours before sowing.
-
Use shallow trays or containers filled with porous media like peat moss, perlite, vermiculite etc.
-
Spread seeds evenly on top of the medium and mist gently until moistened.
-
Cover trays with plastic wrap or dome lids to retain humidity.
-
Place in bright, indirect light and maintain temperatures between 70-80°F.
-
Mist regularly to keep seeds from drying out.
-
Germination can take 2 weeks to several months depending on species. Be patient!
-
Gradually acclimate seedlings to lower humidity and more direct light as they grow.
Transplanting and Ongoing Care
Once seedlings have 3-4 true leaves, it’s time to transplant them into individual pots or mounts:
-
Gently tease apart seedling clumps using tweezers and plant individually. Take care not to damage delicate roots.
-
Good potting mixes include peat moss, orchid bark, perlite. Mount plants on cork, driftwood, seashells etc.
-
Water when the medium is partly dry by misting or dunking. Allow to dry between waterings.
-
Fertilize monthly with a balanced houseplant fertilizer diluted to 1/4 strength.
-
Slowly increase light levels. Most air plants grow best in bright, indirect light indoors.
-
Monitor for pests like mealybugs and scale. Isolate and treat any infected plants promptly.
With proper germination techniques and ongoing care, these tiny seedlings will flourish into stunning air plant specimens to enjoy for years. Propagating from seeds is deeply satisfying and allows you to grow new hybrids and rare varieties.
Common Problems and Solutions
Seeds not germinating?
Ensure high humidity levels around seeds are maintained. Cover containers, mist regularly and provide bottom heat. Check seed viability – old or improperly stored seeds may not be viable.
Seedlings rotting or damping off?
Avoid over watering and allow medium to dry out between mistings. Improve air circulation and sterilize equipment to prevent fungal infection.
Slow or stunted growth?
This may be due to insufficient lighting or fertilization. Gradually increase light levels and feed with diluted fertilizer to encourage new growth.
Pale leaves?
Move plants to a brighter location. Pale leaves can indicate plants are not getting enough sunlight. Boost lighting slowly to prevent leaf scorch.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do air plant seeds take to germinate?
Germination time varies by species but generally takes anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months. Ionantha, fuchsii and juncea species tend to germinate more quickly. Have patience and keep seeds consistently warm and moist.
What is the best way to sow air plant seeds?
Soak seeds in water prior to sowing. Spread seeds evenly on a sterile, porous growing medium. Maintain high humidity by covering containers. Place in filtered light and keep moist but not soaked.
Can you grow air plants from cuttings?
Yes! Cut off a healthy leaf near its base using sharp scissors. Allow the cut end to callous then place in water until roots form. Transplant into media once rooted to grow a new plant.
Should air plant seeds be covered with medium?
It’s best not to bury air plant seeds too deeply as they require light exposure to germinate. Simply press seeds gently into the medium surface and mist to moisten. Cover lightly with a thin later if needed.
How do you know when air plant seed pods are ready for harvest?
Seed pods are ready to collect once they turn brown and split open naturally. This occurs 2-3 months after flowering. Gently shake pods and collect released seeds. Discard any unopened pods.
Final Thoughts
Growing new air plants from seeds is an enjoyable challenge for the patient gardener. Follow the seed harvesting, storing, germinating and sowing techniques outlined to ensure success. Pay close attention to humidity, light, moisture and temperature conditions for thriving seedlings. With proper care and favorable conditions, you’ll reap the rewards of robust, beautiful air plants to enjoy for years to come.
“By Seedlings” aka Sexual Reproduction
Also after blooming, air plants will attempt to reproduce by creating seeds (as seen in on the right). The viability of seeds is highly dependent on the proximity of other mature (blooming) tillandsia and the prevalence of active pollinators in the area. If pollination is successful, seed capsules begin forming between the dried bracts of an old bloom months after the bright colors have faded away. In fact, we collect most of the seeds about a year after the plant has bloomed. However, not all bloomed-out plants will go on to produce seeds. And while some will seemingly produce the cotton-like material that should contain the small seeds, sometimes the seeds do not form. However, these inconsistencies with seed production are outweighed by the sheer number of seedlings that you can obtain in the right conditions.
At our farm, the seeds and capsules are collected by species and stored in small tubs until a large amount is acquired. Then, the cotton-like seed mixture is spread on mesh screens. The material is watered-in and monitored daily for months so that proper humidity and light is maintained. It is also very important to label our mesh panels with the species name, since after germination, all tillandsia are pretty much indistinguishable from each other for several years. It takes four to six months before tiny, green germinated air plants are visible. A successful seedling panel (normally about one square meter) can contain 3,000 or more seedlings. As the plants begin to mature, constant dividing and moving of the juvenile tillandsias is required for them to maintain symmetry and air flow. A plant started from seedling may be moved 20 or more times before it is ready to sell. As you can imagine, this laborious and meticulous job is only for the most skilled and experienced individuals.
Learn more about our sustainable nursery practices in our “Environmentally Conscious Farming” blog.
Not all seedlings go on to be sold into the trade – seedling plants also end up making good mother plants for a-sexual reproduction. Seedling plants have good genetic diversity and strength compared to regular pups. Seedling plants may not always be true to name, and occasionally gorgeous hybrids will be the result at the farm! One might assume that a great deal of the air plant seedlings would go on to be hybrids due the density of species at the farm, but the reality is most of our seedlings remain true to the original species. We believe this is due to different blooming seasons, which help prevent cross pollination, and the tendency of certain pollinators to only pass by certain species of air plants. For example, Tillandsia Caput Medusae have a rather specific blooming period at the end of our nursery’s dry season (February-April) and we find they are primarily pollinated by hummingbirds. Other air plants blooming at this time are not as commonly visited by hummingbirds, thus preventing hybridization.
Plants grown from seed are coveted by enthusiasts because they frequently show a full adult form at a much smaller size – a great example of this is our Tillandsia Xerographica Seedling which, as the name implies, is grown from seed and actually required to be grown from seed as it is a protected species. They also have a tendency to have more leaves at one time since smaller leaves are maintained as the base of the plant. The seedling process from bloom, to see capsule, to “cotton”, to germination brings tangibility to tillandsias natural spreading process. Once you understand the steps, it is easy to see how a tillandsia’s seed gets carried in the wind to be tangled in the bark of a tropical hardwood tree, germinate, grow, bloom and produce a beautiful clump.
Want to learn more about air plants? Check out our “What are Tillandsia?” blog post or dive deeper into the the regions of where air plants are from with our “Mesic, Xeric and Hydric Air Plants” blog.
Or want to see some air plants in the wild? Check out our “Tillandsia Safari Quiché, Guatemala” blog and “Tillandsia Safari Petén, Guatemala” blog.
“By Pups” aka A-Sexual Reproduction
The idea of a plant multiplying by “pups” is not a new concept to gardeners and plant hobbyists. Various tuberous lilies, heliconias, hostas, banana plants and of course ground bromeliads (the closest cousin to Tillandsias) are known for creating smaller plants at the base of the mature plants. These new plants are able to be divided and moved to different parts of the garden or shared with friends. Of course you can always choose to leave the plant alone and it will either grow in size or spread out to cover more ground. For air plants, these same ideas hold true.
During or shortly after blooming for their first and final time, an air plant will start to produce at least a couple of pups from its base. After blooming (and possibly producing seeds–outlined later), the original plant, lovingly called “mothers” at the farm, will cease in the production of fresh leaves from its center and will dedicate the rest of its energy to pups. At the nursery, these pups are split from the mother plant by hand once they reach about ⅓ her size – learn how to divide air plant babies from mother plants from our blog “How to Divide Air Plant Pups”. If pups are removed too early, they struggle to grow on their own. If they are taken too late, it can limit the total quantity of pups that the mother plant will produce.
Original plants will continue producing pups despite looking ragged with broken or decaying leaves. The on the right exemplifies this perfectly as the Tillandsia Pruinosa mother plant deteriorates and gives all of her energy to the pups to ensure the life cycle continues. Pups are always genetically identical to the original plant. Characteristics such as foliage, texture or bloom colors will be maintained in subsequent generations of pups. This is important to consider when a unique air plant hybrid is created either naturally or by an enthusiast–the only way to ensure consistency would be by reproducing the plant with pups. Tissue culture (considered a human-assisted a-sexual reproduction) of tillandsias has not yet proven successful at a commercial scale.
If plants are not divided, they produce clumps, which for some, is more exciting and beautiful than having many individual plants. In nature, clumps will start to grow around and eventually circumnavigate entire tree branches. In a nursery or home setting, an air plant clump can grow to form beautiful symmetry if it is hung by a wire, allowing it to hang freely. If you are interested in clumping air plants, check out our Tillandsia Tenuifolia Clumps and Tillandsia Funckiana Clumps.