diy air plant gifts (fast & easy)
With so many gift-giving occasions, it’s a good idea for have a few air plant gift ideas in your back pocket. Here are 4 ideas to add to your repertoire: air plant in a vase, air plant with a bow, air plants in bell cups and an air plant wreath.
This post may contain affiliate links, and I love all the products I promote.
Air Plant in Tall Vase
Materials
- 1 tall air plant (such as a juncea, tricolor v melanocrater or fasciculata) Or, 1 wide air plant (such as peach capitata, harrisii, red or green abdita).
- vase, tall and cylindrical, for tall air plants or short vase for wide air plants. Both vase types are available at dollar stores.
- sand (1 or 2 different colors) or rocks, available at your local dollar store. Premium top dressings available at Bonsai Jack’s
- ribbon, purchase to suit the occasion
Instructions
Begin with the vase, preferably one with straight sides.
Tilt the vase and add sand. Set the vase down and add the second color.
Place the air plant into the sand. Swirl the plant down into the sand to stabilize the plant. Pictured here is a Tillandsia Juncea.
Finish off your air plant gift with a festive bow.
Here is the same idea only using dark colored rocks instead of sand. The air plant pictured is a Tillandsia tricolor v melanocrater.
So sweet and so easy. These air plant gifts are ready to go.
TIP: Be sure to let the receiver know how to care for air plants. I can just imagine a well-meaning recipient filling the vase with water.
Air Plant in Short Vase
Follow the instructions above.
Use a short vase for air plants that are wide, rather than tall and grass-like.
This peach capitata steals the show in this short vase filled with pebbles and finished with a ribbon.
Air Plant in Vase–Suspended in Air
Materials
All the materials for the Tall Vase, plus:
- craft wire
- beads, optional
To suspend the air plant in air, use floral wire to wrap the end of the air plant leaving about 12″ of wire on the end. Optional: thread beads on the wire.
Loosely coil the long end of the wire and place it inside the vase. Next, begin adding rocks or sand to stabilize the wire and the attached air plant.
This Tillandsia peach capitata is wrapped in wire and secured with rocks. This display shows off what’s so great about air plants: air suspension!
Air Plant with Bow
Materials
- air plants, pictured below are caput-medusae and peach capitata
- ribbon, choose to suit the occasion
Tying an air plant with a ribbon and gifting it as-is is an quick gift. It also makes an original bow to top a gift box and party favor. Having a formal dinner? Set the air plant on the plate.
Weave the ribbon through the bottom leaves of the air plant.
Tied with a ribbon this Tillandsia caput-medusae is looking pretty spiffy.
Tied with a ribbon this peach capitata is ready to gift.
Bell Cup Air Plant Holders
Materials
- Bell Cups
- Air Plants, pictured below: caput-medusae, peach capitata
- Metallic Spray Paint
- Embellishments (holly berries for Christmas, preserved moss)
Instructions: Easy As 1-2-3
First, spray paint a bell cup.
Add your embellishment. Choose something that gives a nod to the occasion. In this case I’ve added holly berries for Christmas.
This peach capitata is getting ready to bloom. Note the tale-tell sign of the peach-colored center.
This Tillandsia caput-medusae makes a stunning holiday gift.
Holiday Air Plant Wreath
Materials
- Grapevine Wreath, sometimes available at dollar stores, and always at craft stores
- Dried Spanish Moss
- Dried Flowers, such as billy balls, amaranth, globe thistles and lavendar
- Air Plants, pictured below red abdita and ioantha
- Floral Adhesive or hot glue gun (optional)
Instructions
Snugly wrap wreath with Spanish moss.
Poke dried flowers into wreath. Tillandsia ioanthas make good filler air plants and the red abdidta adds the wow factor. Secure with hot glue or floral adhesive.
TIP: The air plants will last longer if they can be removed from the wreath and soaked in water. If you need a more permanent solution, glue the air plants to the wreath and include a spray bottle to mist the plants.
Lookin’ good. and put together in under 10 minutes!
Nothing says ‘holiday’ like a wreath around a candle.
A red candle highlights the red in the red abdita air plant.
Create this pretty centerpiece by placing orchids in the center of the wreath.
What better house-warming gift than this air plant wreath embracing this delightful mini orchid?
There You Have It
You’re prepared for any gift-giving opportunity. These simple gift ideas can be put together in a flash and won’t break the bank. The wreath is definitely the most involved and will need a little forethought. I had to order those materials on-line, but everything else is easy to find.
