As air plants don’t need soil to survive, you can place them in many creative areas. Here are a few ideas to try when you want to display air plants.
How to display air plants: While larger air plants will need proper containers, smaller ones can be displayed in many unique places. Small ceramic or glass jars allow you to move them around easily. Use a mirror to create a unique arrangement or craft a macrame holder to house multiple air plants.
How do you display air plants?
While there are many different types of air plants, most have similar characteristics. Their foliage is often long and tendril-like, which makes them interesting to look at.
Giving these tendrils an opportunity to flop over an edge or rise out of a container will allow them to have their whole personality on display.
Another consideration with air plants is their size. There are many small varieties that are only a few inches wide, which gives you more versatility. However, there are also larger sizes, which means they will need actual containers to keep them propped up.
Different Ideas on how to display your air plants
Sea shells
If you want to bring the ocean inside, sea shells make great locations for air plants. You can comb the beach and collect interesting-looking shells with various colors and hues.
The small lip of a sea shell will allow the air plant to rest and not fall out. In some cases, it may look like you have a cute sea creature emerging from its shell.
Glass jars
Air plants have a root structure but even this is interesting to look at. By using a glass jar, you can ensure your entire air plant is on display.
Canning jars are readily available and you can use a mixture of tall or short ones for your air plants, depending on their size. Group the jars together for a more eye-catching arrangement.
Crochet hangers
Crocheting is back so take advantage of this trend when displaying your air plants. You can find many macrame holders that attach to a shelf or ceiling and then have small pockets in them.
Tuck your air plants into these pockets. Use white or cream yarn for your hangers as this will contrast nicely against the green foliage of your air plants.
Broken pottery
Maybe you dropped a terra cotta potting container or perhaps that old pottery bowl fell on the ground. Instead of throwing out the pieces, upcycle them for your air plants.
Small air plants can easily go inside these shards, especially if they are slightly rounded. You can smooth the edges with some sanding paper so there’s no risk of cutting yourself.
Teacups
You may have a collection of teacups handed down by your grandmother and if not, most thrift stores will have a nice selection. Teacups have gorgeous patterns on them and are often works of art in their own right.
Pairing the delicate pattern of a teacup with the wild nature of an air plant is a perfect combination. You can arrange a grouping with similar colors or themes and bring life to old objects.
Mossy wood
Looking for a more natural way to display your air plants? Try different pieces of wood or moss that have small holes in them.
Driftwood is especially good for this purpose and is readily available along beaches. The next time you stroll through a forest, look for new holders for your air plants.
Pottery
Many pottery stores will sell small pots, often called pinch pots. These can be used around the house to hold spices such as salt.
Tiny pottery pots are excellent places to display air plants. You can mix and match colors and designs.
Pottery pots are often very cheap and some pottery studios will sell them for just a dollar or two. If you’re interested in pottery, there are more places popping up where you can make your own creations.
Mirrors
Do you have an old hand mirror that is collecting dust? Maybe the back is starting to wear off so it’s not as reflective as it used to be.
A mirror can make for a gorgeous place to display air plants. Place a few air plants on the surface of the old mirror and then use it as a focal point on a coffee table. The reflection will magnify the depth of the air plants.
What can I put my air plant on?
You can put your air plant on any surface that won’t retain water. This means glass or ceramic. Surfaces such as paper can retain some of the moisture from your air plant, which can cause mold to form.
The one exception is with crocheted holders that use yarn. However, you should make sure that you fully dry your air plant after you water it before putting it back into a fabric holder.
Many air plant owners will mist their plants to increase the humidity around them. If the containers your air plants are in absorb water, it can damage them and cause rot or bacteria to grow.
How do you show air plants outside?
Air plants like controlled temperatures, which is why they are primarily indoor plants. However, you can put them outside if you follow a few restrictions.
First, it might be better to move the air plants back indoors once the day starts to cool off. Nighttime temperatures, even in the summer, maybe too cool for your air plants.
Keeping your air plants in a container with an edge will make them easier to transport. You can pick up the container and not worry about the air plants falling off and becoming damaged.
Finally, know if your air plants like full sun or not. Many air plants prefer indirect light so you don’t want to keep them in the hot afternoon sun as this can burn their leaves.
Conclusion
Because air plants don’t need soil to grow, you have a lot more flexibility on where to place them. Be creative and start with pieces around your home, such as old teacups and seashells.
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