Air plants are pretty fascinating – unlike other plants, Tillandsia requires no soil to grow. This makes them a versatile and beautiful addition to any indoor space. However, just because they don’t need soil doesn’t mean they don’t require special care. If you find your plant is looking less than stellar, use this guide to troubleshoot and learn how to revive an air plant.
Got a dying or dead air plant? If your air plant is looking dull, a bit brown, or limp, there’s usually one culprit: watering! In fact, these signs could mean that it is very thirsty! To revive a sick air plant that has been a tad neglected, shipped from far, far away, or is just looking a little under the weather, this air plant care guide will show you how to perk it back up!
Do I Have a Dead Air Plant?
Just like anything, there is a point of no return when it comes to air plant health. That being said, people often think they have a dead air plant when in reality the plant is just struggling a bit but can easily be nursed back to health.
In most cases, air plants are not truly dead, but instead in the process of dying. This means that with a little TLC, your Tillandsia can perk back up and even begin to thrive!
How to Revive an Air Plant
A healthy air plant should have leaves that range from green to gray. When you pick up the plant, it should stay intact. In other words, on a healthy air plant, leaves should not fall
There are several things you can do to revive a plant. Here are the steps I take to help my air plants regain their health.
Give the Air Plant an Overnight Soak
The first place I always start when I’m reviving an air plant is with watering. Remember, air plants don’t require soil, but that does not mean they don’t need water. Just like every other living being, water is absolutely essential to air plants!
Since air plants do not have soil, that means they have to absorb moisture and that all-important water through their leaves rather than a root system. There have been too many times I have heard that garden centers recommend spritzing air plants with water a few times a week. In my experience, this is not enough water and will leave the plant thirsty. If this happens long enough, it will lead to a dead air plant, sadly!
How Long Should I Soak my Air Plant?
To ensure my air plants get their water requirements met, I give them an hour-long bath. In the warmer summer months, I do this weekly, and in the winter about every three weeks or so. I live in the rainforest, so I like to use rainwater. However, you can use tap water as well! Just leave the water out for 24 hours to allow the chlorine to evaporate.
Then, simply remove the air plant from whatever container it is in, and submerge it in a bowl of water. The bowl should be large enough that the plant can submerge totally. Leave it in the bath for an hour or so, then take it out. Give your air plant a few gentle shakes while upside down to make sure the water isn’t pooling in its leaves. Then, put the plant back into its home. It’s that easy!
For troubleshooting and for even more information on proper water, read this article I put together about how to water air plants.
Make Sure Your Air Plant has Air!
This may seem obvious, but your air plant needs oxygen to live! There are many images floating around of air plants stored in a closed jar that make me shake my head – the plant cannot survive in an airtight environment!
The solution is easy – you can still keep your cute jar terrarium, but make sure to leave the lid cracked or open so air can circulate freely.
Remove Dead Leaves
You’ll also want to remove any dead leaves from a sick air plant by gently tugging at them to see if they come off. If they remove easily, they are dead. If the whole plant falls apart when you do this, you’ve got a dead air plant that has already bit the dust, unfortunately.
However, if only a few leaves come off and the inside leaves are green and healthy-looking, your air plant is going to make it with the proper care!
Look at the Tips of Your Air Plant
If the tips of your air plant are turning brown, try using rainwater or unchlorinated water as described above. If you are not giving them chlorine but they are still turning brown, then your plant may not be getting enough water.
Give them an overnight bath, then make sure that you are bathing them more often.
What if my Air Plant Falls Apart?
If you have a green air plant that just falls apart, you’ve got a dead air plant on your hands. This probably occurred due to sitting in standing water too long, or it was not shaken off properly after bath time.
Read the section about watering again and you’ll surely have better luck with the next one!
I hope this guide helps you revive an air plant and keep your plant collection thriving! If you love air plants as much as I do, be sure to check out the articles below.
Just as a follow-up, I have absolutely no idea what happened with my comment above!
I really need your help and I’m not a spammer – I just think I hit a tech glitch there LOL
haha! I edited your comment to remove the repeated sentence.
Hello, great articles regarding air plants :) I have an air plant from a supermarket and it is glued into the dish…. Will it survive like that? Should I try and detach it or just leave it?? Cheers
Hi Nicol, if you can soak the whole dish in a water bath to water it and shake it off well to avoid pools of water, then it should be OK. Eventually, the plant will grow out of the space it is allocated. The leaves that are glued will die back and the new growth comes from the middle. At that time, you could remove the plant from the dish, prune the dead leaves, and display it elsewhere.
I have been taking care of several different types of air plants in my office for the past few months, but they are starting to die off one by one. They seemed to like a short soak (5-10 mins) every week or two, but three have now dried up and seemingly rotted from the bottom. I dried them upside down and followed everything I’ve read. I’m wondering if the office’s tap water is to blame. The same thing happened with my plants at home, but I have well water. Should I be using a bottled water?
Hi Erin, it sounds to me like they are not getting enough water. Indoors it is much drier than outdoors and they can’t get moisture from the air. Try following the steps in this post and my All About Air Plants https://gardentherapy.ca/all-about-air-plants/. A one-hour soak every week or two, and give them an overnight if they are looking a bit dry.
i always use rain water too. everytime it supppose to rain i keep something outside to collect rain water and fill up spray bottle with the rain water or soak them in the rain water since thats the water they get in the natural habitats. and i also use a humidifier here and there next to my plants to add moisture it the air. my gramother has to soak hers more cause she doesnt have as much moisture in here house. if you house or office is really dry its going to need more water then directed. when i buy my air plants its says spray them twice a week. i deff dont think that is enough for them in some enviroments
I have one air plant that used to be a red/purple color. Over the last month I’ve noticed that it has changed to a grey silver and the root is turning a pink color. Another air plant of mine is still green but its leaves seem limp and fall off easily. It was ok with soaking in water before this and the change has occurred over the past 3 weeks. I usually soak my air plants for 20-30 minutes once a week. Please let me know if you can help me and tell me what I’m doing wrong! Thanks!
Hi Tara, your plants sound like they are being overwatered. Can you hold back and space it out to every 3-4 weeks instead? In the winter, I only water mine once every 4-6 weeks.
hi . i have been having air plants and keeping them alive for almost a year now. i had about 6 of them that bloomed into a flower . the flower died. and the plants after flowered looked really dried out and dead looking and never had signs of pups growing is there something im doing wrong?. so they all grow pups?