Air plants truly come in a wide variety of colors, shapes, and sizes which makes them a perfect fit in any venue.
It could be a steel frame, a geometric wall mounted model or a plain terrarium of glass on a table.
But it’s usually helpful to familiarize yourself with the exact mature size of the plant before adding an air plant to a venue.
Air plants are more typically smaller sizes, but some have the potential to get super-sized depending on the growing conditions and species of the air plant.
However, depending on the air plant species they will vary in size, growing conditions, and how much care they receive.
Some species of Air Plants may likely get as big as almost 3 feet tall in their mature size and others will likely always fit comfortably in the palm of your hand.
Strong, healthy, Air Plants take food and proper environment to grow.
You need the right Air Plants, but also water, air, light and temperature in the right capacity in order for the air plant to grow quicker and bigger.
The Biggest Growing Air Plants Comparison Chart
Air plants tend to grow slowly, generally, a small air plant will not exceed 1-inch for the first two years of its life.
Usually, growth will quickly pick up after that 1-inch mark.
The more closely you can mimic their previous environment in nature, the more quickly and larger the air plants will grow.
It may take years for a small air plant to grow and bloom. Many of the slower growing air plants grow quite large, so be patient.
If your goal is to have a large air plant and display it, you should purchase them somewhat larger and become familiar with the size each will grow to.
| Type of Air Plant | Description | Growing conditions | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tillandsia Xerographica | It has bright mossy green coloring on the leaves. The leaves curl toward themselves, forming a bowl-like shape. Thick leaves at the base extending into thinner streams. | Direct sunlight Frequent misting Temperature range is 16-18°C. 60% humidity | 6-15 inches |
| Tillandsia Bulbosa | Tiny roots, narrow curled up leaves, long wave-like green tendrils. | It prefers spraying 2-3 times per week. Ideal temperatures are between 70-80 degrees during the day and 60-65 degrees at night. A humidity of 50 -70% | 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30cm) |
| Tillandsia Juncea | Fun-like leaf structure Royal purple leaves | It does well under bright filtered lights. Temperature 50-80 degrees Good air circulation and humidity. Low, moderate watering regime. Does best in warm environments between 50 – 80 F | 5-10 inches |
| Tillandsia circinate. | It has trichomes covering the leaves Bright yellow/purple flowers | It should be soaked for two to three hours. | 7-9 inches |
| Tillandsia caput-medusa. | Snake-shaped green leaves. | Filtered bright light Humid air Prefers spraying method of watering. | 6.0-8.0 inches |
How Long Does It Take an Air Plant to Grow?
There are two types of air plants:
- mesic
- xeric
Of the two types of air plants, mesic air plants will grow fastest when cultivated in conditions capable of mimicking their natural habitats.
Mesic air plants are the quickest growing air plants while xeric are the slowest.
Beginning
There are two ways an air plant can be born, either by seed or pups.
The babies grow and grow until they mature. It is important to take care of air plants at this stage so they do not rot or break apart.
Don’t miss out on the good stuff.
Growing
Flowering
The reproductive phase of the air plant bloom cycle is the first distinct stage in their growth.
In this phase, an inflorescence is produced, the entirety of the flower stalk that the flowers will eventually develop from. Air plants only bloom once in their life cycle.
Individual air plants will have separate inflorescences. Some inflorescences can be soft and rounded while others can be spiky and sharp.
Additionally, flowers will vary too, with different shapes and colors found between species.
Most air plants are mature and ready for the blooming process to happen. After the plant blooms, it will only live a few more years before it dies, leaving pups to take its place and allow this process to repeat indefinitely.
Pups
Once an air plant has finished blooming, it will no longer grow, but it will produce little offshoots called pups.
Pups are most commonly found at the base of the plant, but they can also be tucked away under the dead leaves of the mother plant.
Clumps
If the pups are not trimmed, they will grow and begin their life cycle and form clusters or clumps.
Seeds
An air plant can produce seeds once flowering is done.
This usually happens in the dry season, when the seeds are less likely to get washed away by rain.
Then, when the rain starts, the seeds will germinate to give rise to plants.
The End
There are times when your air plant will live for a long time after blooming.
Some will die brown and dry.
Depending on how your plant is doing, you can get more than one pup, and do the whole process over again!
Environmental Factors Affecting How Big Air Plants Get
Environmental factors greatly influence the growth of air plants.
For example, any environmental condition less than ideal restrains growth.
In some cases, or lacking in water, even causes a plant to be damaged directly by environmental conditions.
Ecological stress can compromising a plant’s health ultimately giving it a much higher susceptibility to infection or attack from pests.
Air plants growth and development is influenced by the following environmental factors.
Light
The amount of sunshine a plant receives increases its ability to make food through photosynthesis.
Light has three major qualities that affect air plant growth:
- quality
- quantity
- duration
Air plants thrive in bright and filtered light.
The amount of sunlight needed depends on what kind of air plant it is, also known as mesic or xeric. Mesic species grow in indirect sunlight, and the Xeric type grows in bright, direct sunlight.
If grown in too much sunlight the moisture in any air plant will be depleted. Air plants will sunburn in direct sunlight. Air plants can even die in the sun if they are left for too long.
If it is light deficient, the air plant will turn a much lighter color and will die.
Temperature
The temperature influences the majority of the air plant’s activities, including photosynthesis, transpiration, respiration, and germination.
Temperature can speed up or slow down development.
The ideal temperatures for your air plant would be about 12°C (54°F) on the low end and 30°C (86°F) on the high. Tillandsias do very well in warmer temperatures. They simply cannot survive in freezing winter conditions.
Once an air plant has been frozen – it’s game over.
Air
Air plants need air circulation to help them grow.
Air circulation allows these plants to absorb nutrients and stay healthy.
If an air plant doesn’t get enough air circulation, it will defoliate, wilt, and die.
Humidity
Air plants prefer humidity between 50-70%.
Mesic air plants do best in moderate humidity while xeric prefer warm humid climates.
The rule has generally been, if humidity is higher in your environment/space, an air plant will tolerate more light.
The more direct sunlight an air plant receives, the more moisture it will lose.
Water
Not enough, or too much water will kill off your air plant eventually, so balancing how much is where it is at.
You can count on variations in the amount of watering to expect purely based on variations in climate, light exposure, idiosyncrasies, etc. within the air plants themselves.
In a nutshell. The drier and warmer the air, the more often your air plants need to be watered.
Mesic air plants are well adapted to wet climates, ie., they need lots of watering. Xeric air plants grow naturally in the desert, hence, prefer less watering.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to air plant care, there are that need to be taken into consideration like light, temperature, air, humidity, and water.
It is important to understand how these environments affect the growth or development of your air plant.
These environmental conditions will sometimes help you recognize air plant environmental stress problems.