Page 14 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, JAnUAry 24, 2025 Saugus Gardens in the Winter Here’s what’s blooming in town this week to make your walks more enjoyable These air plants are being displayed as part of the joyous home decorations of Joanie Allbee. (Photo courtesy of Joanie Allbee) This collection of air plants has been given its weekly soaking. (Photo courtesy of Joanie Allbee) By Laura Eisener S ingle digit temperatures in the early mornings may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it is possible to enjoy nature from cozier surroundings indoors. Among the interesting houseplants that can be enjoyed year-round are air plants, which do not grow in soil. These plants are epiphytes, which means that they grow on other plants. In the wild, there are hundreds of species, usually growing on woody plants in South America and in warm parts of North America. The kinds that are usually grown as houseplants are in the genus Tillandsia. They are members of the Bromeliad family (Bromeliaceae). Most like part sun, which means they should not be in a completely dark area of the house for very long but also do not need to be right against a south facing window. While they are generally fairly small when kept indoors, some kinds can grow up to seven feet tall outdoors. They like temperatures to stay between 60 and 80 degrees, so avoid very drafty windows or locations right over the stove, but in general they are not very fussy. Most air plants can be kept healthy by a one-to-twohour-weekly soaking in room temperature water. However they are displayed, they need to be able to be moved around for this weekly bath. Every two weeks or so they might like a bit of dissolved orchid or epiphyte food in their bath water. After bath time, they can be set on a paper towel or regular towel to dry sufficiently that they don’t drip all over as they are put back in their display location. Most varieties like humidity, so a room that has moist air at times, like a kitchen or bathroom, may be best for species that grow in rainforests. Species that have light gray-green or silvery leaves may be native to dryer climate conditions and may do better in rooms like bedrooms or living rooms, but the leaf color may be the only clue to what conditions they like. Those with dark green or reddish leaves are more likely to be forest growers liking a somewhat moist atmosphere. If foliage turns dark, it may be getting too much moisture and is beginning to rot. Many people never get flowers on their air plants, but if they have the exact right conditions they may bloom. Unfortunately, nurseries rarely identify them very precisely – the labels rarely say anything other than “air plant” and only a few have distinctive enough leaves to easily identify if they are not in bloom. One of the most popular air plants is Medusa’s head or Octopus plant (Tillandsia caput-medusae), which can thrive in drier atmospheres like most homes. Harris’s air plant (Tillandsia harrisii) is another popular species that can thrive in drier air. It comes from Guatemala. Red air plant (Tillandsia ionantha rubra) has leaves that start out green but gradually become reddish. Shirley Temple air plant (Tillandsia streptophylla) got its name because the pale nearly white narrow GARDENS | SEE PAGE 15 The monument in Saugus Center stands out in winter splendor. (Photo courtesy of Laura Eisener)
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