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Organic Air Plant Design

Air Plant Design the Way Nature Intended

Organic elements pair perfectly for air plant displays

Organic air plant design

If you like the idea of using natural elements to display your air plants, read on. In this post I’m featuring 4 different seed pods, badum nut pods, bells cups, monkey pods and velvet pods to inspire you to create your own designs. Three of the four pods are stemmed, which means that a steam has been added. If you prefer displaying your air plants without the stem, notify the seller that you would like your pods without stems.

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Grab some granola and learn to create organic air plant displays

Materials Needed

Badam Nut Pods

Badum Nut Pods in Vase

STEP 1: Put the flower frog in the bottom of the vase. Trim the wire stems and stick into the frog. This will take some fiddling to get the stems just the way you want them. Cover the frog with the pebbles .

TIP: When poking in the pod stems, aim for a roughly triangular shape.

TIP: Cut the stems so that they are different lengths.

Wire cutters to cut stems

Depending on the thickness of the wire stems, you may really have to squeeze tightly to cut the wires.

Badum Nut Pods in Vase

STEP 2: Bend back the pod so that the cup is facing upward and will hold the air plant without spilling it. STEP 3: Add just a bit of dried Spanish moss to the pod.

Insert air plant into pod

STEP 4: Set the air plant in the bottom of the cup so it looks like it is growing up out of the pod.

secure air plant in pod

This Tillandsia red abdita sits securely in the badum nut pod.

Finish off air plant display with dried flowers

STEP 5: Finish the design by adding some dried flowers Pictured here are red abdita air plants, sitting atop Spanish moss accented with dried Billy balls displayed in badum nut pods.

Badum Nut Pods and Air Plants in Dark Pot

Badam nut pods show off red abditas and billy balls in a chocolate colored pot.

Badum Nut Pods and Air Plants

Here’s a similar arrangement only with a white pedestal-style vase. Globe thistles and billy balls have been added to the mix.

Bell Cups

Bell Cups and Air Plants

This bleached bell cup is a natural choice for displaying these Tillandsia harrisii, with a bit of Spanish moss peeking over the side.

Trio of Bell Cups and Air Plants

Rather than a single vase, a trio of glass vases filled with crushed granite creates a modern air plant arrangement.

Air Plants and a Bell Cup

A single vase filled with pastel pebbles and adorned with three Tillandsia harrisii is an elegant stand-alone display.

Monkey Pods

Monkey Pods Air Plant Decor

An alternative to pebbles is to layer sand. This display looks chic from top to bottom.

Monkey Pod with Peach Capitata

The lush Tillandsia green abdita contrasts nicely against the rough texture of the monkey pod.

Velvet Pods

These cute pods are not attached to a stem, so no wire-cutters are needed. These pods work well for table-top display.

Velvet Pod for Air Plant Arrangements

My velvet pods came in a plastic bag with about a dozen or so pods. Select pods with a wide opening.

Velvet Pod with Spanish Moss for Air Plant Holder

Like the other pod designs, add a little Spanish moss.

Air plant and velvet pod for natural design

Set the air plant in the pod. Pictured here is a Tillandsia recurvifolia purple hybrid.

Velvet pod with air plant

Add a little color with a dried purple amaranth.

Your Turn

That’s all there is to it: pick a pod, choose your air plants. Stick a little Spanish moss inside the pod, add an air plant and finish it off with a dried flower.