While most air plants are generally easy to maintain and care for, some still require more care than others. In this post, you will find 11 best air plants for beginners and busy people that don’t have much time to care for their tillandsias (easy care air plants for office spaces).
The factors that determine which air plants are the best for beginners/busy people are availability and ease of care. Air plants that can tolerate office living and beginner errors and the best for this category.
Best air plants for beginners with minimal care
- Tillandsia harrisii
- Tillandsia caput-medusae
- Tillandsia ionantha
- Tillandsia fuchsii
- Tillandsia tectorum
- Tillandsia streptophylla
- Tillandsia aeranthos
- Tillandsia capitata
- Tillandsia stricta
- Tillandsia butzii
- Tillandsia tenuifolia
#1: Tillandsia harrisii
Tillandsia harrisii is a rosette shaped air plant, that has soft and fuzzy silvery leaves. They are widely available, so you should not have trouble finding them for sale, like here. Because this air plant is fuzzy, it belongs to xeric group, that comes from hotter parts of the world.
This would mean that t. harrisii doesn’t need very frequent watering, and will be fine if you forget to water it once or twice. That is great news for beginners and busy people. If you notice it’s not as fuzzy and seems dry, it means that your plant needs watering.
What is more, t. harrisii loves bright light, so you can position it near a windowsill or window where it could get some bright unfiltered light in the morning and afternoon, and indirect light for the rest of the day. In winter or even in an office, use fluorescent lights like this (that applies for all air plants).
You can read more about its care in this post.
#2: Tillandsia caput-medusae
Tillandsia caput-medusae is a bulbous air plant that has green curly leaves. It is very popular for its interesting snake-shaped leaves (it’s also called an octopus plant). With good amount of light, this air plant develops some purple coloration on leaves.
Tillandsia caput-medusae doesn’t require very frequent watering sessions, which is great news. It is adapted very well to dry conditions. You can stick to misting the plant instead of soaking or dunking it.
Mist it 3 times a week during summer, 2 times in spring/fall and once a week in winter. You can also dunk the plant in water for 10 minutes in summer, once a week. Always make sure to shake off any excess water to prevent rotting of the plant.
Tillandsia caput-medusae loves bright light, so you can place it somewhere with unfiltered morning and afternoon light, and then filtered light for the rest of the day. Bright filtered light in general should be enough to satisfy its lighting needs.
You can read more about its care in this post.
#3: Tillandsia ionantha
Tillandsia ionantha is one of the most common air plants that are great for beginners and people with busy lifestyles. There are also popular due to their beautiful and vivid coloration and small to medium size. Easy to find for sale, like here.
Most t. ionantha varieties are small in size, with fuzzy leaves. Some develop much more reddish coloration, such as t. ionantha rubra and fuego.
Tillandsia ionantha love lots of bright but filtered/indirect light. You can place it near a window, and make sure to provide very good ventilation.
These plants also love good misting, but not deep watering sessions. You can dunk the plant in water for 10 minutes and shake off excess once a week in summer. Or, you can solely stick to misting it 2-4 times a week. During colder periods of the year, only mist the plant, once-twice a week.
You can read more about its care in this post.
#4: Tillandsia fuchsii
Tillandsia fuchsii is a tuft-like thin and grassy air plant that is cute and is rather easy to care for. It is also common and you can easily find it for sale. It’s medium in size and has beautiful dense silvery leaves.
Tillandsia fuchsii loves bright but indirect light, so you can place it somewhere bright without direct sun. You will need to soak it 1-2 times a week in summer, and once a week during colder months of the year.
Brown or dried tips will indicate that you need to mist the plant, which you can do between watering sessions on hot summer days.
However, if you are busy, you can stick to misting the plant 4-5 times a week in summer and 2-3 times a week in spring, fall and winter. You can display your tillandsia fuchsii on its own, or along some other heat loving plants such as cacti (can attach on them). Plant’s bloom is pink and tall.
You can read more about its care in this post.
#5: Tillandsia tectorum
Tillandsia tectorum is a cute white fuzzy air plant, that is very drought tolerant. Its leaves have a lot of trichomes for water absorption, thus its very fuzzy appearance.
Because tillandsia tectorum is a slow grower and drought-tolerant, it’s easy to care for. It doesn’t require deep watering, and misting the plant 3-5 times/week in summer and 2-3 times/week in spring, fall and winter is sufficient.
Tillandsia tectorum loves bright, but filtered light. In winter, you can allow it to receive direct sun. Its flower is also very beautiful – pink with purple bracts. If you get tillandsia tectorum, make sure to dry the plant between watering and keep it away from very dry or hot air.
You can read more about its care in this post.
#6: Tillandsia streptophylla
Tillandsia streptophylla is a great plant for people that are often busy or are beginners. This air plant is larger than many other air plants, but is rather easy to care for.
Tillandsia streptophylla is very attractive and develops pinkish tint with lots of light and during blooming. Its blooms are purple and pink.
Tillandsia streptophylla leaves are curly when the plant is dry, and become straight when it’s properly hydrated. Based on that, you can decide if you are watering your plant enough.
Provide this plant lots of bright indirect light (it is even fine with 1-2 hours of direct sunlight a day). Tillandsia streptophylla is bulbous, so it’s better to mist the plant instead of soaking it. Mist 3-4 times a week during warmer months, and 1-2 times a week in winter.
You can read more about its care in this post.
#7: Tillandsia aeranthos
Tillandsia aeranthos is a very hardy air plant, making it great for beginners. It is medium in size, is cone shaped, and has large rigid green and silvery leaves.
This air plant doesn’t require too much watering, and dunking for 10-15 minutes once a week in summer, and once a week in winter is enough. In winter, you can solely mist the plant and it should be enough. Tillandsia aeranthos doesn’t like staying wet, so make sure to dry it properly and don’t overwater.
In summer, bright but filtered light is ideal. In winter, you can place it indoors or even outdoors for full sun. Tillandsia aeranthos is hardy as can withstand below freezing temperatures of 23 F (-5 Celsius), so you can leave it outdoors if it doesn’t get colder than that.
Tillandsia aeranthos is a low maintenance air plant, and is great for beginners or busy people/office spaces. Once reaching maturity, it will bloom readily, with beautiful pink-purple flowers.
You can read more about its care in this post.
#8: Tillandsia capitata
Tillandsia capitata is another great air plant for beginners or people with busy lifestyles/offices. This air plant is rather large, and has big and soft green leaves. They are also very common and easy to find.
Tillandsia capitata love good watering, so make sure to water as needed. In summer, dunk or soak for 15 minutes few times a week, and mist heavily in winter 1-2 times a week. Make sure to allow proper air exchange for it to dry.
This air plant also loves bright light, but make sure to avoid any direct sun as leaves can burn very easily. They don’t tolerate cold temperatures too well, so take it inside once temperatures get down to 40 F (5 C) or lower.
#9: Tillandsia stricta
Tillandsia stricta is a good beginner air plant, and it is hardy and doesn’t require too much care. They have beautiful dense green leaves, and bloom very well when reaching maturity. Their bloom is beautiful pink in color.
Tillandsia stricta loves good watering, so water well, especially in hot weather. In summer, dunk for 15 minutes or soak for 30 minutes 2-3 times a week, and once a week in winter. This air plant also loves good air exchange, so make sure it dries properly after watering.
Bright but indirect light is great. Keep indoors during colder weather, as it doesn’t tolerate low temperatures too well. Use fluorescent plant lights in winter when there’s lack of sunlight.
#10: Tillandsia butzii
Tillandsia butzii is a quirky and common air plant that is great for beginners. It is quite large in size (8-10″), and has a bulbous base with interesting thin wavy leaves.
Tillandsia butzii is rather hardy, but make sure to bring it indoors once temperatures get low (40 F/5 Celsius). They love good watering, so dunk in water for 15-20 minutes 2-3 times a week in summer, and once a week in winter. In winter, you can heavily mist once a week instead.
Tillandsia butzii also grows rather fast, generally faster than most other air plants. Their blooms are beautiful red in color. They produce pups, and if you don’t separate them, they will form a beautiful clump.
#11: Tillandsia tenuifolia
Tillandsia tenuifolia is another relatively easy to care for air plant. It has beautiful green rigid leaves. With age, its leaves start curling a little. Tillandsia tenuifolia blooms beautifully (pink and flower).
This air plant needs bright and filtered light, but it can also tolerate a slight lack of lack. That makes this plant suitable for office spaces (however bright light is still required).
Water by dunking for 10-15 minutes 1-2 times/week in summer, and once a week in winter. Make sure it dries fully to prevent rot, as the base shape can catch extra water.
Thank you for reading this post! If you would like to learn more about air plants and their care, see this resource page.