Steem Plants Contest Stage 19 - Up In The Air

Hello everyone.

We welcome Stage 19 of this contest, Steem Plants Contest, hosted by @knopka145. The contest post can be found here for those who do not know about this yet. Get a chance to win. Join and submit your plant posts. Invite your friends too.

For this Stage 19 I will feature a type of plant I saw in one of the stalls in a Flower and Plant Market here in our city.

This type of plant is called air plant or Tillandsia. It is a genus of around 650 species of evergreen, perennial flowering plants in the family Bromeliaceae.

It is native to the forests, mountains and deserts of northern Mexico and south-eastern United States, Mesoamerica and the Caribbean to mid Argentina. Wikipedia

Air plants are epiphytes, meaning that in nature they grow on other plants, usually on tree branches. As mentioned above there are about 650 species and varieties of air plants. They usually have strap-shape or slender triangle-shape leaves that grow in a rosette pattern with new growth appearing from the center.

Air plants are very special the way they can grow just in air. No soil at all required. Their leaves can look a bit like alien arms or like the tentacles of a sea creature. From my perspective the leaves look like pineapple crowns or tops. See photo below.

Air plants have become quite popular over the last few years, appearing in just about any garden center or even in the checkout line at the grocery store. And there are plenty of online nurseries specializing in air plants, particularly the more unusual types.

Plant care is if course a little different from plants growing in soil. Air plants usually get their water requirements from the air, itself. So if one is in a humid environment, like the one I am in, these plants will easily thrive. Watering these plants is done about once a week or two weeks for some species. Soak the plant in a jar or any container of water for about 30 minutes. Shake off excess water afterwards and dry with a towel. Then place them back in their place. No direct sunlight and temperatures below 49 degrees.

Do you know air plants are also perfect plants to display in the bedroom because they photosynthesize at night? So while you are sleeping, they emit fresh oxygen into the air. Being among plants can help reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and improve focus at home or work.

Beauty and functionality. What could be better?

And that's it for this post. Good luck to all the participants. Keep safe and healthy and I look forward to seeing you all in Stage 20.

(All photos are mine.)