what plants would do well in a copper container on wall

Question

What plants would do well in a copper container mounted on a wall? I want to go soilless, so was looking at air plants or orchids. Would a coir medium work? I can mist the plants but don’t want water streaking down the copper.

Answer 1

Before you settle on a mount for your air plant, I would recommend that you read the following article, which has guidelines on mounts:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/epiphytes/epiphyte-mounting-tips.htm

There are many options for air plants such as bromeliads, orchids, tillandsia, staghorn fern,etc. It all depends on your preference for type.

Some things to think about:

Some air plants, such as bromeliads, are very sensitive to copper and it can harm or damage the plant so if you are thinking about bromeliads you might want to rethink the copper.

While air plants don’t grow in soil, some still need to be watered occasionally in addition to spray misting. Air plants can be taken out and rinsed under running water (best for when the plant is in bloom) or soaked in a bath of water, as demonstrated in the following article for tillandsias:
http://www.gardenista.com/posts/gardening-101-how-to-water-an-air-plant

The best type of soilless medium you use depends on the plant you choose. Coconut coir is said to work for orchids either alone or as part of a custom orchid mix.

Generally speaking, a good all around medium is achieved by cradling the roots with moistened sphagnum moss and use a bit of coconut coir around that. More information on that process can be found here:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/epiphytes/epiphyte-mounting-tips.htm

This article will discuss the types of air plants you can choose from:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/epiphytes/adaptations-of-epiphytes.htm

For more information on soilless potting mixes, please visit the following link:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/seeds/soilless-seed-mix-info.htm