Pruning guide
How to prune sky plant
Best time
Year-round as dead leaves appear
How often
Rarely — only to remove dead tissue
Technique
Grip dead outer leaves firmly at the base and gently pull, or trim with clean scissors. For brown tips only, snip at an angle to mimic the natural leaf shape.
More sky plant care
Pruning sky plant — FAQ
When should I prune sky plant?
Year-round as dead leaves appear. Grip dead outer leaves firmly at the base and gently pull, or trim with clean scissors. For brown tips only, snip at an angle to mimic the natural leaf shape.
How often does sky plant need pruning?
Rarely — only to remove dead tissue. Tillandsia ionantha is an air plant that needs almost no pruning. Remove any brown or dead leaf tips with clean scissors to maintain appearance, and pull away fully dead outer leaves. Do not cut into healthy green tissue. After it blooms and produces pups, let the mother plant die back naturally while the offsets grow.
How do you prune sky plant?
Grip dead outer leaves firmly at the base and gently pull, or trim with clean scissors. For brown tips only, snip at an angle to mimic the natural leaf shape.