Weird Plants of the Month: Ant Plant and Air Plant

Описание: We are back for another trip into the Tyler School of Art and Architecture Greenhouse Education and Research Complex at Temple Ambler for a look at some of our weird plants!

Join Greenhouse Complex Manager Benjamin Snyder for our Weird Plant of the Month!
For August, we’re exploring not one, but two plants — Hydnophytum formicarum, or Ant Plants, and Tillandsia bulbosa, or Bulbous Air Plant.

The Ant Plant is an epiphytic example of a myrmecophyte, or a plant that has a symbiotic relationship with ants, thus the common name of "ant plant." This particular ant plant is in the Rubiaceae, or madder, family — the same family as the coffee plant — and is native to rainforests in Southeast Asia.

It is an epiphyte, meaning that is grows attached to tree branches as opposed to growing in the ground. It features a swollen caudex, or base, which wraps around its supporting tree. This swollen base is hollow on the inside and forms the perfect home for ant colonies. The ant colonies help protect the plant by preventing herbivory. The plant can also derive nutrients left by the ants in their nest.

Hailing from tropical rainforests and being an epiphyte means that this plant needs high relative humidity levels to thrive, making it not an ideal houseplant. Small specimens may be kept in a terrarium for a while, but they will eventually outgrow it unless it is a large terrarium. They can be propagated by rooting cuttings, however this method will not produce the characteristic swollen caudex. For the caudex to form, they must be propagated by seed.

Like the Ant Plant, the Bulbous Air Plant is another epiphytic myrmecophyte. This one is native to southern Mexico, the West Indies and South America. It is much smaller in size and features thin, twisting leaves originating from an oval-shaped base. Being smaller, the bulbous air plant typically house smaller populations of ants, but the symbiosis is the same.

The Bulbous Air Plant is also much easier to care for in a home setting — you don't even need a pot or soil! The best way to water these plants is to soak them in a container of water for 30 minutes or so. Typically doing this once a week will be sufficient, but if the plants start to develop wrinkles, you may need to increase watering. Being such easy-care plants, they make great gifts as well. Luckily, they are easily propagated by dividing the small pups that are produced at the base of the plant.

Learn more about the Ambler Arboretum at https://arboretum.temple.edu. Learn more about the Tyler School of Art and Architecture at https://tyler.temple.edu/.

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