Flowering Air Plant Tillandsia Houston Dark Pink

Do Air Plants Die After Flowering?


While air plants only flower once in their lifetime, the blooming plants will often produce 3-8 pups (baby air plants) after they bloom. The mother plants will then continue to support the growth of their pups. This process can take years. During that time, the mother plants will stay healthy for years until they exhaust themselves completely by putting all their energy into growing the pups. So the good news is that your air plants won’t just die and disappear after they bloom— not without leaving you with multiple new pups to replace themselves!


What is the lifespan of air plants?

Do Air Plants Die after Flowering

Blooming Air Plant— Tillandsia Houston Dark Pink






So yes— growing air plants require some patience. But it is incredibly rewarding when your plant grow into large specimen and produce colorful flowers! Mature air plants produce beautiful blossoms that will last several weeks or longer.



What do I do with air plants after they bloom?


Tip: Trim off the exhausted flower stalk once the flowers dry up. This will help the plants to focus their energy on growing new pups after they bloom.



Most air plants produce 3-8 pups upon blooming. It can take a few weeks or months sometimes before you start seeing the pups. Check the base of the plant and between the leaves for the baby plants.


With a bit of love and care, your baby plants will grow into beautiful new plants and the circle of life continues.


Do I have to remove the air plant pups from the mother plant?

You can— but you don’t to. In fact, “division” (separating the pups from the mother plant) is one of the most common methods to propagate air plants. Air plants tend to cluster and form gorgeous “tillandsia balls” in nature. They can be perfectly happy living as a cluster.


But if you want to grow them separately, simply remove the pups from the mother plant once they grow to about 1/3 of the size of their mother. They should come apart when you gently pull on them.



6 thoughts on “Do Air Plants Die After Flowering?

  1. I have a massive airplant it has given me a long stem. I live in Mauritius it is very humid. At the end of the stem)at least 1m) there has not been a flower but a pup and 2 other pups on the stem. It is the first time and I do not knowif I should cut the pups off or wait? Could you advise me.

    • Your plant is viviporous- probably a secunda if it is huge. You can leave the pups on or take them off. They are one of the fastest growing tillandsias.

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