Mounting air plants to wood is my favorite way to display Tillandsias. Due to the plant’s ability to grow without soil, using their roots only to anchor themselves, air plants are ideal for mounting on various objects, including wood.
I recommend several methods below to help you mount your plants including plant-safe glue, bonsia wire, and fishing line.
Once you’ve attached your air plants to a log or branch you can place the wood on a tabletop or shelf, or hang it from a ceiling or other suitable objects to create a beautiful and natural-looking home or garden decor.
How to Glue Air Plants to Wood
It’s easy to glue air plants to wood, however, is that your only option and plant-friendly? I recommend E6000 glue for mounting Tillandsias to wooden objects or bonsai wire as an alternative method.
E6000 glue is waterproof, flexible, permanent, non-flammable, and safe for plants. The glue dries clear and is also paintable. You can use this glue on most materials including cork, bark, wood, metal, ceramics, fabric, and even glass.
It’s always a good idea to clean any surfaces before you glue them. Scrape away or sand any loose wood or bark before applying the glue, and make sure you have a kitchen towel or rag nearby to wipe away the excess glue.
E6000 glue works well, however, as I mentioned before you can use garden or bonsai wire to mount your air plants to wood. Bonsai wire is particularly useful as it comes in different gauges, and is very strong and long-lasting.
General Mounting Advice for Wooden Objects
Driftwood is a popular choice for mounting air plants. You can use the aforementioned methods to attach your plants. However, make sure you give the driftwood plenty of time to dry out before gluing to achieve a better bond.
If your Tillandsias have roots you may not need any glue or wire. Try squeezing the roots into nooks and crevices in the wood to anchor your plants. This usually only works for small to medium-sized air plants as heavier plant’s roots may not be strong enough to take the weight of the entire plant.
A fishing line can be used to attach your air plants to wooden objects, it works quite well due to its somewhat transparent and waterproof nature. However, I prefer to use brown, black, or green bonsia wire in most cases as it’s usually less visible.
Use these tips and tricks to make it easier to mount your air plants:
- Use the plant’s roots to anchor if possible
- Use bonsai wire if preferable or fishing line
- The best glue to use is E6000
- Clean the surfaces before gluing
I hope the following displays will jump-start your creativity and show you what’s achievable when mounting air plants to logs, branches, and driftwood.
The Easy Way to Mount Air Plants to Wood
Mounting air plants onto wood is a fun and easy project that can be completed in just a few simple steps. By following these steps, you can create beautiful and unique home decor pieces that will add a touch of natural beauty to any room in your home.
Before you start the mounting process, it’s a good idea to gather your tools and materials:
- Air plants
- Driftwood, branches, or logs
- Glue, wire, fishing line, or string
- Scissors or wire cutters
- Kitchen towel
Step 1: Choose Your Wooden Object
The first step in mounting air plants onto wood is to choose the right piece of wood for your display. When selecting wooden pieces, keep in mind that the size and shape of the wood will impact the overall look of your finished project.
It’s important to choose pieces that are sturdy enough to support the weight of the air plants, yet still aesthetically pleasing. Ask yourself if the wood is going to be positioned horizontally, vertically, or on a hanging display.
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Step 2: Clean and Sand the Wood
Once you have selected your wood, the next step is to clean and sand it. Use a damp cloth to remove any dirt or debris from the surface of the wood and use sandpaper to smooth out any rough edges or splinters that might harm the air plants.
If you’re using glue don’t over-sand the gluing area some roughness will aid the adhesive and create a better bond.
Step 3: Attach Your Air Plants to the Wood
It doesn’t matter how you attach your air plants to the wood, it mostly comes down to personal preference. You can use glue, bonsia wire, fishing line, garden string, etc – get creative and have fun.
When using the gluing method to mount your plants dab a reasonable amount of E6000 glue onto the areas where your air plants will sit. Then carefully press the air plant’s base onto the wood, and use any nooks or crevices to help position the plant if possible.
Use the same positioning technique for other attachment methods like wire, line, or string. Repeat this process until all the air plants have been securely attached to the wood.
When using glue you may want to fasten your plants with wire or line initially whilst the glue dries and sets.
Step 4: Display Your Creation
Once your air plants have been securely attached to the wood your creation is ready to display. You can hang it on a wall or from the ceiling or place it on a table or shelf depending on your personal preference and the decor style in your home.
Cholla Wood Displays
Cholla wood is unsurprisingly popular because of its unique appearance and natural beauty. This Tillandsia Scaposa sits perfectly within the natural whole that runs vertically through the wood.
You could glue the plant to the wood, however, by positioning the plant in the natural hollow you’ll make it much easier to water your plants.
Mounting on Driftwood
This simplistic display of Tillandsia Ionantha Rubra mounted on driftwood looks fantastic. Grouping the same species looks awesome in this display.
The hint of red in the wood compliments the red in Rubra’s leaves, they look great together.
Grapevine Wood Arrangements
The Knotted appearance of grapevine wood contrasts well with Tillandsias of all shapes and sizes. However, light green species tend to stand out more against the darker areas of the wood.
You can use moss as shown above to create a softer effect and a more natural look. However, don’t use moss with bulbose species though as they’re prone to rotting near the base and need good airflow.
Cork Bark Displays
Cork bark wood is a good choice for displaying small to medium-sized air plants. These items show a single plant attached to each piece of wood but you can of course display multiple plants together on one piece of wood.
Cork wood is perhaps the most natural-looking way to display air plants and is a great alternative to mounting on a heavy branch or lump of wood.
The above examples are awesome! However, have you considered displaying your Tillandsias in a terrarium? I’ve written an article on air plant terrarium ideas and displays to guide you through the process.
