Air Plants Introduction
Air plants (Tillandsia) for interior decoration have been popular for a while. They are evergreen, perennial flowering plants, which are native to Central and South America, the southern US. There are around 650 species, which naturally grow in diverse environment, from forests to deserts, from coasts to mountains. The name "air plant" comes from their capability to grow without soil. Most are epiphytes, which attach to other plants. However, they do not steal nutrients or water from their host, only using it as a home to grow on. And some are aerophytes, which have no roots and grow on shifting desert dirt. Most species absorb moisture and nutrients through the leaves from rain, dew, dust, decaying leaves and insects. Air plants photosynthesize through a process called CAM cycle, where they close their stomata during the day to prevent water loss and open them at night to fix carbon dioxide and release oxygen. This allows them to preserve water, because they can only