There are two types of air plants. The first is thin-leaved species that thrive in moist, humid mesic regions like tropical rainforests. The other is thick-leaved xeric species that grow in dry, drought-prone areas.
Xeric species need direct sunlight for a few hours each morning. Mesic species cannot tolerate direct light at all and should receive bright, indirect light.
Remember, you shouldn’t place air plants in soil. But you can put them practically anywhere else. Grow them on other plants or rocks, set them on shelves, shells, wood, or plates, or hang them from a rope.
To water xeric species, every other week in the morning, run tepid water out of the faucet. Mesic species, on the other hand, should be submerged for 15 minutes every two weeks.
Air plants send out small offsets, which we call pups. Allow these to grow attached to the parent plant until they’re about a fourth the size of the parent plant. Once they’re large enough, carefully cut them away using a clean knife.