Description
About glass orbs
Glass orbs are clear glass globes with a round side opening and a loop at the top for hanging. They are the classic air plant terrarium, and they remain one of the best-selling displays in the trade.
We offer four round sizes, 2, 2.5, 3 and 4 inches, plus a 5-inch teardrop shape. Every size comes in a 6-pack, and the 6-pack starts at $14.
The 4-inch orbs and the 5-inch teardrops need a larger box, so please ask about shipping cost if you are unsure. If extra shipping applies, we email a second invoice, and we ship once you pay it. We send globes by ground service where possible to keep that cost down.
Glass shows the plant from every side, so a silver plant on a little cork or sand inside an orb looks finished with no other work.
For a shop, orbs sell as kits. Pair a 3-inch orb with a small ionantha and a pinch of cork scraps, and you have a gift in a box. In addition, a cluster of orbs at different heights in a window is a display that stops foot traffic.
Using glass orbs with air plants
Match the plant to the orb. For example, a 2-inch orb takes a small ionantha, while a 4-inch orb takes a caput-medusae or a stricta. Add a small piece of cork, a little sand or a few shells for a base, and then set the plant in with the opening facing the room. Never water inside the orb, because glass holds humidity and the base rots. Instead, lift the plant out, soak it, shake it, and let it dry completely before it returns. Hang orbs in bright indirect light, but never in direct sun, since glass magnifies heat.
- Fits: One plant sized to the orb, for example ionantha, scaposa, small bulbosa or caput-medusae.
- Mounting: Set in loose on cork or sand. Glue is optional.
- Watering: Remove the plant to soak. Return it only when dry.
- Feeding: Feed monthly with diluted TillyBoost Fertilizer in the soak.
- Placement: Hang in bright indirect light, out of direct sun.
- Care of the orb: Wipe the glass. Keep the inside dry.
Browse more Air Plant Displays, pick plants from our Air Plants, or read the air plant care guide.
