Air plants belong to the genus Tillandsia which constitutes about 650 types of perennial plants from the family of flowering plants. Air plants originate from northern Mexico’s forests, deserts, mountains, and the south-eastern USA. Air plants can easily attach themselves to any surface. To learn how to attach air plants to wood, follow our amazing tips.
Air plants get their name from their property to survive merely in air, without any medium like soil or water. They have a special type of cells on the surface of their leaves called trichomes which enables them to absorb water or moisture from their leaves quickly. Air plants can easily cling to any surface like poles, wires, branches, barks, stones, etc. follow these simple tips to learn how to attach air plants to wood.
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How to Attach Air Plants to Wood
Air plants can easily attach themselves to any surface with the help of their roots. Since air plants do not require soil to grow, they do not have an elaborate root system. The only main purpose of their roots is to cling to other objects.
They do not absorb nutrients from their roots and have a very low nutritional requirement met by their leaves. Therefore, it is safe to attach air plants to the stems or bark of your other plants. They won’t suck away the nutrients, depriving the host plant.
You can use any wood. You can attach air plants from the stems of your plants and trees, corks or cork boards, driftwood, or cholla wood. You can either collect a piece of wood on your own or buy them from local nurseries or online.
Required Items
You will need simple household items to attach your air plants to wood.
- Wire
- Twine, strings, or fishing wire
- Hot glue gun
- Superglue
- Gloves
- Cholla wood or driftwood
- Water spraying bottle
- Corks or corkboard
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1. Attaching Air Plants Using a Wire
Using any wire is one of the simplest and easiest ways to attach your air plants to wood. It can work on whatever type of wood you are using: a tree stem or branches, a wreath, cholla wood, or driftwood.
Tie the wire at the bottom end of the air plant and attach the other end of the wire to the wood. Wrap the wire tightly to secure it. Do not wrap any wire to the main body of the plant so as not to damage it. This method is preferable as you can easily remove or relocate your plants which are not easy when using glue.
Use a stainless-steel wire to avoid corrosion and rust. Never use copper wire for your air plants; it is highly toxic and will kill them.
2. Attaching Air Plants Using a Fishline or Twine
Using a fishline or twine is even better than using a wire. It will not damage the plant, and the bonus point is that a fishline is transparent, so it will not be visible. You can use either; however, a fishline will last longer and be more efficient than twine. Twine will rot and break apart after some time from watering air plants. On the contrary, twine is water-resistant.
Tie one end of the fishing line or twine to the end of your air plant, then wrap it around the piece of wood.
3. Using Hot Glue Gun
This method may sound a little insane, but it works and is completely safe. You can use a hot glue gun to attach your air plants to the piece of wood.
Wear gloves before operating your glue gun. Heat your gun and put a small dot of glue to the location on the wood where you need to attach the air plants. Just remember not to attach the plant to the hot glue. Let the glue cool down a little but make sure it is warm enough to stick to the plant. Now attach the rear end of your air plant to the glue, and you are done.
This method is quite simple and easy; however, it is not encouraged. If not done right, you might end up hurting your plant. It also makes the relocation of plants very difficult. If your plant dies or you need to move it, you will have to pull the glue. It may chip away the surface of wood or damage the plant.
4. Using Superglue or Other Waterproof Glue
You can use any super glue or water-resistant glue to attach your air plants to wood. Superglue might not be a great choice, but if you are out of options, then you can use it.
Apply a very small amount of superglue on the surface of the wood and the rear end of the air plant. Now attach the plant to the surface of the wood quickly while the glue is still wet. As super glue dries very quickly, you need to be ready to attach the plant. When super glue dries, it becomes white, which might be unattractive for your decorations.
The other more preferable alternative to superglue is another waterproof glue which is completely safe for air plants. One such brand of glue sold is called the formula E-6000. This glue is waterproof, safe to air plants, and does not leave a white cast.
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Bonus Tips to Remember
Here are some extra tips for keeping in mind while you are attaching your air plants to the wood.
- When attaching air plants with bulbous bases or thick, juicy stems, always mount them either horizontally or upside down. It will not let the water accumulate at the base of the plant and prevent it from rotting.
- If you are using glue to attach your plants, remember to water them by spraying or dunking. Avoid soaking the plants. Soaking might result in the plant rotting from the point it is attached because you cannot remove your plant for watering. Shake your plant gently after watering to get rid of the excess water and avoid rotting.
- If you are attaching or displaying your air plants on a wreath for decoration and hanging it outdoors, then monitor the temperature, sunlight, and moisture. Air plants are tropical plants, and they prefer indirect sunlight and warm temperature.
- If you live in a hot or cold climate, bring your wreath inside during the extreme temperature hours. If the wreath is getting too much sun, bring it inside when the sun is at its brightest. Similarly, if the temperature is cold or you are hanging wreaths in the autumn or winter season, then bring them inside when the temperature drops too low.
>> Related Post: Why Are My Air Plants Dying? (6 Reasons & Solutions)
Conclusion
Air plants are truly mesmerizing, and their tendency to live without soil and sustain only in air is otherworldly. In nature, air plants can easily stick themselves to any surface with the help of their roots. However, if you are growing some air plants indoors, you have room to be inventive.
You can display them in several creative ways, such as terrariums, glass jars, driftwoods, or rocks. Air plants are very low maintenance and sturdy and have minimum nutritional requirements. They absorb their water through specialized cells on their leaves.
If you are confused about how to attach air plants to wood, then this article is just for you. Let us know which method you used in the comments below.