Tillandsias, or air plants, are epiphytic bromeliads with trichomes, specialized leaf scales, that absorb water and nutrients from the air rather than from soil through roots, which are used only for attachment. They are characterized by their ability to grow on surfaces like rocks and trees, their striking flowers on short spikes, their fuzzy, silvery-gray leaves (often forming a rosette), and their varying tolerance for arid or humid conditions.