Air Plant

Air Plant 'Curly Slim' (Tillandsia 'Curly Slim') grows without soil. It is a small silvery rosette, about 20cm tall and 15cm across, with narrow leaves that twist and curl back on themselves, taking water and nutrients through the leaves rather than roots. Put it in a bowl, wire it to driftwood or sit it on a shelf, and water it once a week.

Why you'll love it

• No soil, no pot, no mess. It needs nothing but bright indirect light, air movement and a weekly drink, which makes it the simplest plant in the house to place.
• Not toxic to cats or dogs. Safe to have in reach of pets, unlike most of the sculptural indoor plants people put on shelves.
• The form is the feature. Silvery curling leaves hold their shape year round and look deliberate on their own, without staging.
• It flowers. Mature plants push a bract carrying purple and red flowers, then produce offsets around the base that grow on as new plants.

Where it works best

Indoors. A bright bathroom, kitchen windowsill or open shelf away from direct sun suits it. Indoors your climate is irrelevant, which matters with a plant this frost tender.

Feature and display. Wired to driftwood, set in a shallow bowl of pebbles or hung in a glass holder, it becomes a small sculpture. Group three at different heights for more presence.

Balconies and courtyards. In tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens it will live outdoors year round in bright shade, tucked into a tree fork or a covered patio.

Growing Air Plant 'Curly Slim' in Australia

Position and climate. Bright indirect light, never direct midday sun, which scorches the silvery coating that does the water absorbing. Outdoors it is limited to frost free gardens, so in cool temperate and frost prone districts keep it inside over winter.

Water. Soak the whole plant in room temperature water for 20 to 30 minutes once a week, then shake it out and leave it upside down to dry. Mist between soaks in dry indoor air. Water sitting in the centre of the rosette is the usual cause of rot.

Air movement. It must dry within a few hours of watering, so give it an open position rather than a sealed terrarium or a closed glass globe.

Feed and grooming. Add a bromeliad or air plant fertiliser at quarter strength to the soak water monthly in the warmer half of the year. Pull off dried outer leaves, and separate offsets once they reach about a third of the parent's size.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold as a single plant in tube format. Because there is no soil, what arrives is the plant itself, a small silvery rosette ready to sit wherever you want it. Give it a soak on arrival, then settle into the weekly routine.

Air plants travel better than almost anything else we send, since there is no root ball to disturb. Growth is slow and steady rather than dramatic, and flowering usually comes after a few years of good conditions. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read our indoor plant tips for beginners.
• Browse more pet friendly indoor plants.
• Compare the full indoor plants range.
• See what else suits a balcony.

Common questions

How often do I water it?

A 20 to 30 minute soak once a week, more often in hot dry weather and less in a humid bathroom. Shake off the excess and let it dry upside down so no water sits in the centre.

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

Yes. Tillandsias are not toxic to cats or dogs, so it can sit on a low shelf or coffee table without concern.

Does it need a pot or soil?

Neither. Roots on an air plant anchor it to bark or rock rather than feed it, so potting it in soil will rot the base. Sit it, wire it or wedge it in place instead.