Air plants (Tillandsia spp.) are unusual but popular houseplants that don’t require soil. However, they can be a little particular about receiving the right amount of sunlight to thrive. In this article, we’ll run through everything you need to know about the exact light requirements for air plants in your home or office.
- Air Plant Light Requirements – The Essentials
- The Role of Light in Plant Health and Growth
- Typical Light Conditions That Air Plants Receive in Their Native Habitat
- Signs That Your Air Plant is Receiving Too Much Light
- Signs That Your Air Plant isn’t Receiving Enough Light
- The Best Light Exposure for Air Plants Indoors
- Air Plant Light Requirements FAQs
- Wrapping Up
Air Plant Light Requirements – The Essentials
Air plants need bright, indirect light or filtered sunlight which mimics the light conditions in their native habitats. These plants don’t like bright, direct sunlight or full shade. For best results, position air plants approximately 3 feet away from east or southeast-facing windows.
The Role of Light in Plant Health and Growth
Sunlight is crucial for the growth and development of plants. This is even more true for air plants because they don’t receive nutrients from the soil. Like most plants, air plants require plenty of sunlight for photosynthesis.
Photosynthesis is the process that plants use to manufacture food within their bodies. Using the green pigment in their leaves, known as chlorophyll, plants can absorb energy from sunlight. Powered by this solar energy, plants mix carbon dioxide and water to produce glucose.
Glucose is the sugar that plants use to create cellulose, which forms new plant tissues such as stems and leaves. If plants don’t get enough sunlight, they can’t produce the cellulose needed to fuel strong, healthy growth.
Instead, plants may suffer from weak or stunted growth if they don’t get enough light. To compensate for the lack of light, a plant may produce more chlorophyll. This can discolor the leaves, turning them dark green instead of their natural color.
Getting too much sunlight can also harm a plant. Direct sunlight can burn the plant’s leaves, especially during summer afternoons. Different plants have different optimal light conditions, which are usually influenced by the conditions of their natural habitat.
Common Light Terminology for Indoor Plants
When caring for any house plant, it’s vital to provide it with the right amount of light. However, it’s easy to get confused by the different terms used for different levels of light. Usually, light exposure for indoor plants is divided into four categories:
Bright, direct light – Bright, direct light means that sunlight falls directly onto a plant’s leaves for most of the day. Areas of bright, direct light usually include south or southwest-facing windows with no filter.
Bright, indirect light – Bright, indirect light is ideal for most houseplants. Bright, indirect light means that the sunlight doesn’t fall directly onto a plant’s leaves. Plants receive bright, indirect light when placed up to 3 feet away from an east or south-facing window.
Filtered light – Filtered light is essentially bright, indirect light that passes through a filter like a blind or net curtain. Filtered light is ideal for plants that can be sensitive to bright light.
Low light – Also known as partial shade, low-light conditions are best for plants that are extremely sensitive to bright light. Low-light conditions usually occur in rooms with north-facing windows.
Typical Light Conditions That Air Plants Receive in Their Native Habitat
Air plants thrive in a range of tropical and subtropical habitats in their native range. Air plants are native to the southeastern United States, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.
Most air plants are epiphytes that attach themselves to other plants. In most cases, these air plants come from forest or rainforest habitats. Air plants usually receive bright, indirect, or filtered sunlight through the canopy in these areas.
Some species of air plants can handle full sun and come from the desert or rocky habitats. These species tend to have gray or silver leaves.
Signs That Your Air Plant is Receiving Too Much Light
Burnt, Dry Leaves
If an air plant receives too much direct sunlight, it can suffer from burnt leaves. Affected leaves may also feel dry. Move the air plant further away from the window or use a filter such as a net curtain.
Yellowing or Discolored Leaves
Air plants can also suffer from yellowing leaves if they get too much sun. This causes patches of discoloration.
Increased Water Requirements
If your air plant is thirstier than usual, it may be receiving too much sun. If you have to water more than once per week, try moving the air plant to a slightly shadier location.
Should you spot any of these symptoms, move your air plant further away from the window or choose a new location. Approximately 3 to 5 feet away from the nearest window should be sufficient.
Signs That Your Air Plant isn’t Receiving Enough Light
Darkening Leaves
Silver or gray air plants tend to need more sunlight than varieties with green leaves. If your gray or silver air plant has started turning green, it might not be getting enough light. Silver or gray air plants tend to require full sun for at least 4 to 6 hours a day.
Slow or Stunted Growth
Although air plants are slow-growing plants, specimens that don’t receive enough light will grow even more slowly than usual. If you’re concerned about the growth rate of your air plant, try moving it to a brighter location.
Lack of Flowering
When given the ideal conditions, air plants can flower indoors. These flowers are often small but brightly colored. However, if your air plant doesn’t produce flowers, it could be because it isn’t receiving enough sunlight.
The Best Light Exposure for Air Plants Indoors
Most air plants require bright, indirect, or filtered sunlight indoors. If you can, provide your air plants with at least 6 to 8 hours of bright, indirect light or filtered sunlight per day. Tillandsia species with green leaves thrive in these conditions.
If you have air plants with gray or silver leaves, they will need more direct sun. These species usually come from rocky or desert habitats and are more robust than other air plants. Provide a few hours of direct sunlight in the morning and transition to bright, indirect light in the afternoon.
Too much direct sunlight is harmful to almost any air plant. Leaving air plants in direct light causes problems such as burnt leaves or increased water requirements. In rooms that get bright, natural light, keep air plants approximately 5 feet away from the window.
Almost all air plants will struggle in low-light conditions. While most species can tolerate partial shade, full shade doesn’t provide enough light. Air plants growing in low-light conditions will suffer from slow, stunted growth.
Placing your air plant approximately 3 feet away from an east, southeast, or south-facing window should provide sufficient light. This is the best way to give your air plants bright, indirect light. You can also create filtered light using blinds or net curtains.
Wherever you position your air plants, try and rotate them regularly. Air plants naturally lean towards the nearest light source. By rotating them regularly, you’ll encourage even growth for the whole plant.
If you have to place air plants in low-light areas, you can supplement their growth using artificial light. Use fluorescent bulbs to provide up to 12 hours of artificial light per day in dark rooms.
Air Plant Light Requirements FAQs:
Air plants can handle partial shade but won’t tolerate full shade. You’ll need to use artificial lights in dark rooms to provide enough light for your air plant.
How Much Light Should an Air Plant Get?
Most types of air plants need 6 to 8 hours of bright, indirect, or filtered sunlight. Species that have gray or silver leaves and come from desert habitats need more light.
How Do You Know if Your Air Plant is Getting Enough Light?
Air plants that receive enough light should look strong and healthy with clearly-defined colors on the leaves. In ideal conditions, air plants may even flower.
Can Air Plants Grow in Artificial Light?
Air plants can be grown under artificial LED or fluorescent lights if necessary. Provide up to 12 hours of artificial light for air plants growing in low-light conditions.
Air Plant Light Requirements – Wrapping Up
Air plants can be unusual but rewarding houseplants to add to your collection. Most air plants require 6 to 8 hours of bright, indirect, or filtered sunlight every day. East, southeast, or south-facing windows provide the right amount of light. Always keep air plants at least 3 feet away from the window.
For more, see our in-depth guide on where to position air plants for optimal care and feng shui benefits.
Andrew is the Editorial Director at Petal Republic. He holds a BSc degree in Plant Sciences and has trained professionally at leading floristry schools in London and Paris. In amongst overseeing a global editorial team, Andrew's a passionate content creator around all things flowers, floral design, gardening, and houseplants.
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