The Air Plant Shop: Review & Giveaway!

The Air Plant Shop is a small, family-owned business that is based out of St. Augustine, Florida. Scott and Jody James, the founders, used to climb up in the trees in South Florida to retrieve air plants for their mother to decorate with. Scott realized that many people were oblivious to the existence of air plants, so he decided that he would start collecting and growing a large variety of South American and Central American air plant species in his nursery, for the purpose of starting a business. Scott and Jody's mother, Judy, handles the decor portion of The Air Plant Shop, creating unique pieces that help accentuate the beauty of the air plants. The Air Plant Shop offers a huge variety of healthy, high-quality air plants and gift items. 

Some of the unique gifts that The Air Plant Shop sells include:

• Hanging Air Plant Terrariums
• Wine Cork Planters with Magnets
• Seashell Planters with Magnets
• Cork Tree Bark with Air Plants
• Sea Urchins with Air Plants
• Zen and Teardrop Terrariums
• Pink Murex Seashells with Air Plants
• Sputnik Shells with Air Plants
• Hand Painted Seed Pods with Air Plants
•  Longspine Murex Shells with Air Plants

You can also purchase individual supplies, such as empty glass terrariums and cork bark, to really make it your own. The Air Plant Shop has so many varieties of air plants that you can choose from, some of which include: Ionantha Rubra, Ionantha Fuego, Funckiana, Argentea Thin, Abdita, Bulbosa, Harrisii, Caput Medusae, Aeranthos, Butzii, Velutina, Bergeri, Juncea, Seleriani, Circinata, Baileyi, Victoriana, Filifolia, etc. Air plants can be purchased wholesale for businesses or events.

The Air Plant Shop has great customer service, and really backs their products. If you are unhappy with your air plant for any reason, it is guaranteed for thirty days. The Air Plant Shop will replace your air plant, with free shipping. Shipping for orders under $50 is a mere $5.95 -- if you spend over $50, your shipping is free!

What in the world are Air Plants?

Well, they are the kind of plant that you DEFINITELY want to buy if you have trouble keeping regular plants alive. Air plants are native to Central and South America as well as Southern portions of the United States. There are over 600 varieties, and they do not have any use for soil. They have roots, but not in the traditional sense -- they use their roots in nature to attach themselves to trees, shrubs, and rocks. They obtain their nutrients through their leaves. They do not require as much water as a standard plant, and can survive somewhat harsh conditions. 

The Air Plant Shop recommends the following plan of action for taking care of an air plant:

First, you need to remove it from the box and immediately soak it in room temperature water for 30-40 minutes. It can be completely submerged, and the air plants prefer water with nutrients. After soaking your air plants, you must shake them off and dry them completely before placing them in a terrarium, or other display. You do not want to place them in direct sunlight (this dries them out), and you do not want to put them in soil, as this will make them rot. Instead of watering your plant every day, you can remove them from their displays once a week to soak them in water for 30 minutes. If they are in a very dry environment, The Air Plant Shop suggests that you also spritz them with water once a week. You will be able to tell if your air plant is not getting the proper amount of water, because its leaves will begin to turn brown and wilt. You can trim the leaves and submerge the air plant in water to help it. If your air plant is getting too much water, it will start to rot. They really are much easier to take care of then regular plants, because not watering them for a day or two will not make a huge impact!

 

I was one of those people who had never heard of an air plant, having grown up and lived in the Northeast all of my life. I have a tendency to kill plants without meaning to, simply because I am very busy and I will forget to water them as often as they need. Thus, when I came across The Air Plant Shop, I was pretty curious. These cute little plants seemed to be the perfect answer; I can actually keep them alive without having to worry. Now I can have the floral decorations that I always wanted! I was drawn not only to the easy care instructions, but also to the beautiful array of colors and shapes that air plants come in. The reds and purples of a blooming air plant are very striking, and I loved the way that The Air Plant Shop showcased these colors. Their terrariums and accent pieces are high-quality and make for great modern and stylish decor. I think that air plants are awesome gifts, or even centerpieces for weddings or parties. 

For the purpose of this review, I received the Rosita in Glass. The Rosita in Glass includes the Rosita air plant, a large, hand-blown glass globe, black sand, a starfish, a sand dollar, and a sea shell. It currently retails for just $34.95.

The hand-blown glass globe is almost 6 inches tall and 6 inches wide, with two openings on either side and a flat bottom. Each piece comes separately, but "assembly" only takes a minute or two -- it's a fun, quick little kit that you will enjoy putting together. The black sand and assorted pieces (starfish, sand dollar, and sea shell) come in a Ziploc bag, and all you have to do is gently and slowly pour the black sand into the glass globe, and then set the accent pieces around in different places as you see fit. I held the Rosita air plant in place while my boyfriend poured the black sand in around the edges, and it stood up nicely in the center of the globe. I arranged the sea shells, starfish, and sand dollar around the outside. 

The Rosita air plant is actually called an Ionantha Rosita, and it is one of the largest of the Ionanthas. It has a typical height of about 3-6" and a width of 2-5". It can grow up to 9 inches long. The Ionantha Rosita starts out as a greenish plant with silver-accented leaves. As it matures, it darkens in color and becomes the deep green with a maroon/pink interior, as you see in the pictures. When it blooms, it has a violet or bluish colored shoot with white or yellow flowers on top. The life cycle is pretty amazing, and the advancing colors make a great visual!

When the Rosita air plant arrived, it had not yet fully bloomed; it had the green and red colors at the bottom, but no purple sprouting from the top. I went out-of-state for a few days, and when I returned, it had blossomed beautifully, with a deep violet shoot and little yellow flowers. I placed the Rosita in glass on one of my side tables in the living room. When we eventually get a larger apartment with a coffee table or a dining room table, I will probably place it there. It makes a wonderful center piece, as well as a conversation piece. Everyone wonders if it is real, and why it doesn't need to have soil. I find that people are very intrigued by the Rosita in Glass, and that it adds the perfect touch to our living room! We live in Southern Maine near the ocean, so the seashells, sand, and entire theme are very fitting. I would love to put a hanging air plant in my bathroom. They are incredibly versatile, and the options for decor are pretty infinite. I really liked having the easy, pre-made kit with the globe and the air plant, but if you are feeling really creative, you can always purchase individual air plants and other pieces from The Air Plant Shop to create your own unique decoration!

Interested in learning more about The Air Plant Shop? Check out the links below:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

One lucky reader will win a $30 certificate to The Air Plant Shop, courtesy of The Air Plant Shop! All you need to do is enter on the Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is open to U.S. readers, 18 and over, unless you have permission from your parents. Please be honest when submitting Rafflecopter entries -- remember, I DO check all of your entries for verification, and I will throw them out if they are false. If the form has a spot for you to enter information, please provide me with the appropriate username, link, etc so that it is easier for me to verify your entries! I am not responsible for the shipment of the prize, that is the company's duty. I will contact the winner via email (so make sure to use one that you check) and you will have 48 hours to respond with your shipping information. If you have any questions or if the Rafflecopter is not working properly, you can always contact me via Facebook or email (links on the sidebar). Good luck!! 

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