How can I tell if my air plant is alive?
So I got this as a gift like 2 years ago, I keep forgetting it’s a plant lol. I’m like 80% it’s already dead, but… it looks the same as when I got it haha. I really don’t know how to tell. I dip him in water every once in a while, otherwise he just hangs out above my sink… his leaves are crispy at the tips, but he doesn’t crumble when touched or anything so…. Has he been dead this whole time or are they just really weird, low-key plants? He’s freshly dipped I the photos, when he dries he looks more green #HappyPlants #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #whatintheworld #GregGang #AirPlant
16ft to light, direct
2” pot with drainage
Last watered 1 month ago
23
I wasn’t sure at first because of the species, but I dont think it’s doing well if it is alive. They are meant to be a little bit green or silver like in these photos of small ballmoss I found online. I’ve never personally owned this species but I do have a blushing bride airplant and they certainly are weird little guys! Unfortunately, if your air plant is mushy or limp that is a telltale sign that it is sick/dying and it appears to be a bit limp in your photos + it is very brown. Sorry about your plant.. :( how much light is it getting? It may be able to be saved with a little rehab..? I’m not sure as I’ve never owned one of these.
@Uzi it definitely is browning, but it’s not mushy or limp at all, I agree it should be like a silvery grey/green, I just wonder if it’s like dead dead or revivable. I’ve honestly been assuming it’s dead but the leaves aren’t dropping or falling apart or anything haha. It gets decent light, but all my windows are westerly so mostly in the evening, I could try hanging it in the window and keeping it misted and see if anything happens 🤷♀️
@SoothingCacto90 that is one of the weirdest plants I've seen. I knew about bromeliads but not this specific species, hope it turns out to be alive, I like the upside down hanging pot of it
@MamaLinne it does get direct sunlight, but not very much this time of year. Im really bad at judging distance, but it’s directly across the room from window, facing west, if I had to guess it’s 15 ft away from the window.
@GardenCat43 it is very cute lol. My mom has a bunch of different ones. Some of them have broad thick leaves, but these ones have thinner more spindley leaves. If it does turn out to be dead, I’ll likely replace it eventually and be nicer to it this time lol
@kaleena that’s what I’ve thought every time I’ve seen it for the past while lol. I moved at the beginning of fall and just put it right back above my kitchen sink as a little washing buddy, but my old apartment had a window above the sinks, and this one doesn’t. Thinking back it didn’t start browning until I moved, so maybe I can bring it back with some light, otherwise he’s still my little alien bud.
I spritz mine with a mister like once a month or so, and it is kinda green/gray. Mine may be a different species. I know there are a lot of types in the group "air plants". I would be tempted to take him to your plant place and ask one of the folks that work there. They probably can identify the exact type and whether that is the normal color. Make sure to tell them how much light, what kind (filtered, direct, etc) and whether it is east, South etc. If you know the humidity of the room, that would really help too. Good luck!
@AwakeCactus36 it’s held with a wire and I don’t wanna rough it up too much, but this is the base. I haven’t been soaking it that long, I just dip it basically 😅 maybe Ive been severely underwatering
@AwakeCactus36 when I dipped it earlier it was dry after 2 hrs, so I don’t think excess moisture is the issue. Hopefully I can revive it to its former glory haha
@SoothingCacto90 From the most recent posts in the thread it may be revivable after some babying since it’s not mushy! Sorry I’ve been quiet for a while lol. I agree it does look like a Tillandsia up close, the bottom of it reminds me of mine. Mine is less than a foot from a west window (behind a sheer curtain) and is doing very well. I never mist mine I just stick in upside-down in a bowl of distilled water once a month and it seems happy. The top leaves are pink which means it will flower, die, and grow new plants soon which is neat. Also, since you mentioned it, the way they grow in the wild is they live on the branches of trees and absorb nutrients/moisture through air and rain and eventually grow new plants through the process I just mentioned. These guys are pretty hardy but they absolutely need light so yours may recover near a window. I would recommend starting with filtered light (such as behind a sheer curtain) though because a sudden move from low light to bright light can cause the leaves to get a sunburn and worsen the issue.
