Bromeliad Care
- Light. Different genera of bromeliads are tolerant of different levels of light. Some can withstand full tropical sun, while others will quickly scorch.
- Soil. Bromeliads frown indoors thrive in fast-draining potting soil that holds moisture but drains well. A mixture of 2/3 peat-based soil and 1/3 sand is often ideal.
- Water. Bromeliads are very tolerant of drought conditions. In a typical house, it's usually not necessary to keep the central cup of the plant constantly filled with water.
- Temperature and Humidity. Bromeliads are also highly tolerant of temperature variations, but plants in hotter conditions need more humidity.
- Fertilizer. Bromeliads are not heavy feeders. During the growing season, use a liquid fertilizer diluted at 1/8 or 1/4 strength, applied every two to four weeks.
- Provide bright light without direct sun exposure.
- Maintain optimal humidity.
- Keep air flowing around the plants.
- Make sure the plants stay moist but not soggy.
- Provide adequate drainage.
- Fertilize sparingly.
How to water a bromeliad plant?
- Epiphytes – Epiphytes can take in moisture and nutrients through both their roots and their leaves. ...
- Air Plants – Air plants only take in moisture and nutrients through special cells on their leaves. ...
- Saxicolous – Like epiphytes, saxicolous bromeliads can draw in moisture through their roots and leaves. ...
How to grow tropical, colorful, easy care bromeliad plants?
Why Grow Bromeliads?
- They are easy to grow indoors.
- Most species tolerate infrequent watering.
- They have beautiful forms, foliage, and flowers.
- The flowers (inflorescence) last three months or more.
- They reproduce consistently and rapidly.
- There are few pests and diseases that attack bromeliads.
How to care for bromeliad after it blooms?
Method 2 of 3: Caring for an Air Bromeliad
- Understand how air bromeliads work. If your plant is an air bromeliad, you probably purchased it attached to driftwood or another object, placed in a pot that contained pure ...
- Plant in dry bark or attach to any hard object. ...
- Place in bright indirect sunlight or full sun. ...
- Mist the plant every few days. ...
How to grow bromeliads outside?
Just keep a few things in mind as you choose them:
- What is their natural habitat? Hot, humid, dry, sunny, mountainous, etc. ...
- If you are worried about freezing temperatures, you can always use containers. ...
- Most bromeliads multiply, do you have space for the pups? ...
- If you are unsure of a particular bromeliad’s needs, consult a professional grower before committing them to your landscape.
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Where should I put bromeliad in my house?
Most bromeliads will thrive on a table or countertop a few feet away from a window. Do not place your bromeliad directly in a south facing window. The leaves are likely to scorch with too much direct sunlight.
How often do you water a bromeliad?
While their roots prefer to be moist, they can never be allowed to remain soggy. Water that does not drain properly through your potting medium can cause your plant to develop root or crown rot. It is often times sufficient to water your bromeliad once a week.
How long do bromeliads last indoors?
Bromeliads often have both striking foliage as well as flowers. However, a bromeliad will only bloom once throughout its lifespan. Though that seems like a bummer, especially if you bought the bromeliad for its blooms, the flowers actually last for a good portion of time—generally 3 to 6 months.
Do indoor bromeliads need sun?
Bromeliads make great low-maintenance indoor plants as they don't require much sun and only need to be watered about once a week when kept indoors. As bromedliads love humidity, be sure to keep them away from air conditioning and cold draughts and mist with a spray bottle every couple of days.
What does an overwatered bromeliad look like?
Confusing as it may sound, bromeliad leaves turning brown – even the tips turning brown – can also indicate too much water. The difference here is that browning leaves as a result of underwatering feel dry and crisp, while overwatered leaves usually feel soft and mushy.
Do bromeliads need misting?
Bromeliad Air Plants only take in moisture and nutrients through special cells on their leaves so they must be misted regularly. Mist air plants weekly (or more frequently in hot, dry conditions) and soak in water every one to two weeks.
Do you cut dead flowers off bromeliads?
Should I cut off the dead flower of my bromeliad? It isn't necessary to cut off the dead flower if you don't intend to grow pups. You can leave it attached to slowly wither with the rest of the plant.
What do you do with a bromeliad after it blooms?
To remove a spent bloom, use a sharp, sterilized blade and cut the bloom stalk. Make a clean cut as close to the remaining plant as possible without harming it. Once you've removed the bloom, you can toss it in the trash or compost. Don't neglect your bromeliad just because it finished blooming.
How do I know if my bromeliad is healthy?
One way you can be sure your bromeliad is turning brown because it's drying out is to check the pups. If they're healthy and looking good, then the plant is on the way out. If you're keep the growing medium too wet, then the lower leaves will turn brown and ultimately turn mushy.
How long do bromeliad plants live?
two to five yearsBromeliads live for two to five years. They're one of those plants that blooms once when it hits maturity, and then slowly dies off as it puts all its energy into producing new plants, called pups. Bromeliad blooms last up to six months, so you get a long-lived bloom for the plant's lone flower show.
How do you get bromeliads to rebloom?
Reblooming a bromeliad adult isn't possible but a few tips will see those young offsets in bloom sooner.Add some dissolved Epsom salts to the cup once per month to encourage the production of chlorophyll and flowers.Forcing a bromeliad to bloom also requires an appropriate environment.More items...•
How much water does a bromeliad need?
Their sensitive roots like to be moist but cannot remain in potting mix that remains overly wet. If your bromeliad is allowed to sit in wet mix for extended periods of time, its roots or crown will begin to rot. Generally, watering your bromeliad once a week is sufficient.
How to keep bromeliads moist?
Epiphytic plants, also known as air plants, grow on trees or rocks, not in soil. Keep your air plant moist by misting it regularly. Never use a metal container to water your bromeliad.
Why are bromeliads good for indoors?
Bromeliads are excellent indoor plants because they are resistant to pests and have little need for attention. With the proper care, you’ll be able to enjoy this plant inside your home or office throughout the year.
What happens if you overwater bromeliads?
Overwatering: If you forget to fill the center cup and instead over-saturate the potting soil, your plant may begin to rot. Remember that bromeliads prefer relatively dry conditions over being wet and soggy all the time.
How to get rid of salt in bromeliads?
Watering too much will cause its roots to rot. Plant your bromeliad in a medium that facilitates quick drainage. Remember to thoroughly soak the potting medium so that the water runs through the drainage holes. This technique will allow you to remove salt that may have built up within the potting mix.
How do bromeliads grow?
These leaf-like structures may be able to support the growth of an inflorescence. Bromeliads can grow through the addition of new leaves at the center of the plant. However, the center can become crowded and won’t have room for new leaves to form. When this happens, the plant will concentrate its energy on making pups or offsets.
What can affect bromeliads?
The pot and potting media you use can significantly affect the moisture levels of your bromeliad. Here is a quick guide to how various types of materials can influence your plant’s growth: Plastic pots: Pots made from plastic tend to retain moisture for a longer time.
Why is moisture important for bromeliads?
The moisture level is vital because bromeliads are vulnerable to crown rot and root rot. If it sits in a saturated medium for too long, the plant’s roots can rot, causing it to die. Examine its leaves: These should have a bright green color and be stiff.
What is the best way to keep bromeliads from getting waterlogged?
Materials like unglazed clay, terracotta, and concrete are full of tiny holes that help wick excess water. Providing a quick-drying environment for your bromeliad's root system will prevent it from becoming waterlogged, which is a leading cause of root rot and other devastating moisture-related diseases.
How often should bromeliads be wet?
Since there’s no soil to water, the best way to keep them wet is by spraying them a few times throughout the day.
How to compact bromeliads?
4. Plant your bromeliad so that the lower leaves are even with the soil. Create a shallow depression in the center of your potting mix and lower in the plant’s root system gently. Then, push the soil back in around the base of the plant and pat it lightly with the pad of your finger to compact it.
What is a bromeliad plant?
Bromeliads are a family of tropical plants known for their lush, vibrant foliage. Pineapples are the most recognizable type of bromeliad, but there are over 3,000 species in total, including popular varieties like Tillandsia, Guzmania, and Neoregelia. Thanks to their hardy nature and short list of needs, bromeliads make excellent “pet” plants ...
What substrate do bromeliads need?
Since they're vulnerable to overwatering, bromeliads need a substrate material that’s dry and chunky, with plenty of room for air to circulate.
How to grow bromeliads in a container?
Fill your container with a light, fast-draining potting soil. Head down to your local gardening store, greenhouse, or plant nursery and pick up a bag of potting mix formulated specifically for use with bromeliads. If you don’t have any luck finding a suitable product, orchid mixes and pine bark are also safe choices.
What happens if a plant sits too low?
Tip: The positioning of the plant in its container is key to its success. If it sits too low, it could easily become oversaturated. If it sits too high, it may not have enough support to remain upright once it reaches a certain size.
What are the conditions for bromeliads to bloom?
In general, bromeliads need a fairly specific set of conditions to bloom—and these conditions vary from genus to genus, and even from species to species in a single genus. Their bloom cycle is affected by day length, temperature, humidity, water, and feeding.
How to force a bromeliad to bloom?
While it can be difficult to accurately replicate the conditions any particular bromeliad needs to bloom, some research has shown the plants can be forced to bloom by exposure to ethylene gas. 2 So if you want to force your plant to spike, place it in a tightly sealed, clear plastic bag for up to 10 days with a ripe apple. The apple will give off ethylene gas as it decomposes. Make sure any water is drained from the bromeliad's central cup before attempting this.
Why do bromeliads rot?
When you're watering , if you're over-saturating the potting soil rather than filling the central "cup" formed by the leaves, bromeliads can develop rot. These are plants that prefer relatively dry conditions. 3
How long do bromeliads live?
Most indoor bromeliads can live between two to five years before the mother plant dies.
How long does it take for a bromeliad to grow?
Bromeliads are relatively slow-growing plants that take one to three years to mature into flowering plants. Botanical Name. Bromeliaceae genera.
How to kill mealy bugs on bromeliads?
1 You can eliminate mealybugs and aphids by spraying the plant with a mixture of water and a few drops of dish soap. Dab scale bugs with a cotton swab doused with rubbing alcohol.
What color are bromeliads?
Although many do have very showy flower displays, bromeliads are just as popular as beautiful foliage plants with strappy leaves in red, green, purple, orange, and yellow colors and with bands, stripes, spots, and other features.
Water the Soil to Keep It Moist
With so many bromeliad species out there, they grow in many places, but usually in warm climates such as Africa and the Americas. To replicate those conditions from the comfort of your living room, water the soil to keep it moist.
Use Varying Levels of Sunlight
Here’s that caveat again. With thousands of bromeliad species, their lighting requirements can and do vary wildly.
Keep Temperatures Between the 60s and 80s
I f there’s one area where most bromeliad species can agree, it’s that warmer is better.
Maintain Above Average Relative Humidity
Bromeliads, being classified as tropical plants, demand humidity, especially if you want to see the indoor plant bloom.
Use Diluted Liquid Fertilizer
Fertilizer is plant food, and the more food the bromeliad has, the more energy it can store to bloom. That said, you must be careful not to overdo it.
Watch Out for Pests
Pests are not really an issue with the bromeliad, although scale, aphids, and mealybugs have been known to suck the juices from this lovely, colorful indoor plant.
Collect the Pups
A while after the bromeliad finishes blooming, you’ll notice offshoot plants around its base. These are known as pups.
How to keep a bromeliad from growing slow?
WATER. Bromeliads are unique in that you water the center of the plant instead of the soil. Keep the center of the plant filled with water at all times – up to halfway.
How to increase humidity in bromeliads?
Your Bromeliad will appreciate added humidity but will tolerate average household humidity. Increase humidity by misting, adding a pebble tray, or using a humidifier.
How to grow aechmea pink?
Bromeliad Aechmea Pink. LIGHT. Your Bromeliad prefers medium to bright indirect light. Insufficient light will cause growth to slow. WATER. Bromeliads are unique in that you water the center of the plant instead of the soil. Keep the center of the plant filled with water at all times – up to halfway.
What type of light do bromeliads like?
Your Bromeliad prefers bright indirect light. It will not tolerate long periods of direct light and will stop growing if in an area of lower light. East or west-facing windows are preferred.
Is bromeliad toxic to humans?
Your Bromeliad is not known to be toxic to pets and humans, however, it may cause skin irritation in sensitive individuals. ADDITIONAL CARE. If your plant is in ideal conditions, it should begin growing pups off the side of the mother plant. Eventually, the mother plant will die off and be replaced by these pups.
Where do broneliads grow?
Bromeliads are native to Brazil. In the wild, they typically grow on trees as epiphytes. Epiphytes develop minimal roots and absorb most of their nutrients through their foliage. How to care for your Bromeliad. Common Issues for your Bromeliad. Grow-How™ tips. Plant Friends and Family.
Is bromeliad a good plant for a pet?
A colorful and low-maintenance air plant, the Bromeliad Summer is a striking houseplant that adds warmth to your home. With a bright and cheery magenta flower, this bromeliad is pet-friendly and makes for a great gift for any plant lover or beginner plant parent.
Future
- Choose a porous container if you live somewhere with a cool, wet climate. Materials like unglazed clay, terracotta, and concrete are full of tiny holes that help wick excess water. Providing a quick-drying environment for your bromeliad's root system will prevent it from becoming waterlogged, which is a leading cause of root rot and other devastating moisture-r…
- Go with a nonporous container if you're in a warm, arid region. Containers made from plastic, …
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Types
Description
- This is good news for the houseplant enthusiast because bromeliads are available in an astonishing array of colors and textures. Even discounting their showy flower displays, bromeliads are beautiful foliage plants, with strappy leaves in red, green, purple, orange, yellow, banded, stripes, spots or other combinations.
Cultivation
- There are actually several subfamilies of bromeliads. Pineapples and Spanish moss are both kinds of bromeliads. But the ones most often seen in cultivation are epiphytic plants that grow naturally in the tropical or subtropical regions of the Americas. As a general rule of thumb, bromeliads will thrive in the same conditions as epiphytic orchids. However, they are considerab…
Preparation
- The most common bromeliads (such as the Aechmea, Neoregelia, and Guzmania genus) grow in rosettes of relatively large, strappy leaves around a central cup. These leaves are often relatively thick and may have backward facing spines that are capable of giving you a sharp jab. The leaves arise from the center cup, which is designed to hold water. In nature, bromeliads' roots are adapt…
Reproduction
- Plants grown in pots will quickly adapt. Their roots and leaves will absorb nutrients and water, and it won't be necessary to fill the central cup at all. In fact, if it's going to be cold or especially dark, it may be dangerous to keep the cup filled because it will encourage bacterial or fungal growth. Fortunately, bromeliads are beautiful foliage plants. No attempt is made to bloom them. In gene…