How To Divide Air Plant Pups - Air Plant Propagation & Cultivation

Did you know that air plants don’t always grow from seeds? While the blooms of Tillandsia (air plants) often contain tiny seeds that can be pollinated to grow into new plants, a very tedious and time-consuming process, air plants also reproduce by creating offspring at their bases. These offsets, called "pups", have the potential to grow into mature plants, bloom, and restart the life cycle. This makes it easy for hobbyists and nurserymen to propagate their air plants, creating generations of identical Tillandsia!

Pup Production

Most air plants will start to produce pups shortly after their bloom cycle. Depending on the species, an air plant can take six months to several years to bloom, and most only bloom once in their lifetime. Here at Air Plant Shop, we offer mature, pre-bloom Tillandsia so our customers can experience this much-anticipated process shortly after their purchase. For blooming tips, check out our helpful blog, How to Get an Air Plant to Bloom, or try our Color, Bud + Blush Pack when available. After blooming, small growth nodes will form at the base of the air plant, often between or under the bottom leaves. Carefully remove the bloom spike once it has dried bracts and the bright colors have faded away – try using our Bonsai-Style Pruning Scissors for Air Plants for the task. This will allow the plant to focus its energy on the new pups. During this time, continue to care for the mother plant, watering frequently and providing ample light and air circulation. Slowly but surely, you will see these tiny growths start to resemble your Tillandsia! Most air plants will produce between one and eight pups depending on the species and care.  

Propagating Pups

Once the pups have grown to about one-third to half the size of the mother plant, they are ready to be separated. Simply support the base of the mother plant and pull or cut the pup at its base to remove it. You’ll notice hardly any force is required to divide the plants but you can use Pruning Scissors if needed for a clean and easy cut. After their initial separation, it's best to allow the separation point on both the mother and newly separated pup to heal for a few days. Leave the plants to rest and for the freshly cut areas to dry and harden before watering or placing them back inside terrariums. This will discourage bacterial growth at the cut and also help to prevent rotting. Your new plant can then be watered and cared for per your usual routine.

Not sure how to water your air plants? Read our educational blog, How to Water Your Air Plants, for guidance.

Cultivating Air Plant Clumps

We are often asked what happens if the air plant pups aren’t separated. The answer is simple, they will continue to produce pups! When left undisturbed, the Tillandsia will start to form clusters of several identical plants. Clumping is the natural process of air plants and in the wild, large balls of Tillandsia can be found covering tree branches and rocky protrusions. You can imagine how truly stunning the flower show is when the blooming cycle occurs within several plants at the same time! 

Interested in clumping air plants? When available, we offer Tillandsia Ionantha Rubra Balls, Tillandsia Schiedeana Clumps, and Tillandsia Sweet Isabel Clumps.

 

 

 

Looking to learn more about caring for your air plant babies? Check out our recent blog, Elevate Your Air Plant Care: Tips and Tools for Pruning and Maintenance. 

Watch this video to learn more.

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