Originally only found in royal botanical gardens or the private greenhouses of wealthy Europeans, their popularity has spread to the masses. The family contains a wide range of plants including some very un-pineapple like members such as Spanish Moss (which is neither Spanish nor a moss).
Bromeliaceae is a large plant family, with more than 50 genera and over 3,000 known species.
Today bromeliads are more available to the enthusiast than ever before. In fact, if the conditions are a bit chilly or dark, it can be dangerous to fill the cup because this can encourage bacterial or fungal growth. They might look like a yucca plant or green grass, provide edible fruit like the pineapple or hang from trees (Spanish moss). Bromeliads are also highly tolerant of temperature variations, but plants in hotter conditions will need more humidity. Plants that are yellowish might be receiving too much light while plants that are dark green or elongated might be receiving too little light. The pineapple is one of the bromeliads that grows in the ground, and is the only one that produces an edible fruit.In most cases, bromeliads only flower once. The water that collects in the pot should be emptied out weekly to remove debris and dead insects that stagnant water tends to lure into the cup.Set the pot in a saucer of gravel filled partially with water to Some bromeliads grow well as “air plants,” which are glued or nested onto logs, moss or other non-soil organic items. The stalk (or scape as it is called), may be long with the flowers held far away from the plant (either erect or hanging pendantly) or the scape may be short with the flowers nestled in the rosette. The scape may produce a single flower or many individual flowers and may have colorful leaf-like appendages called scape bracts that serve to attract pollinators and delight bromeliad enthusiasts.
whose form and color vary widely among each variety. However, the parent plant will send out one or several smaller pups at its base. Pups are usually produced near the base of the plant – inside the sheath of a leaf. What to Do With a Bromeliad After the Bloom Has Died. They should not be exposed to temperatures under 40 degrees Fahrenheit. If you use a slow-release pellet fertilizer and water the central cup, a single pellet dropped into the cup will suffice for a season. With rare exceptions, bromeliads only flower a single time – once the plant stops producing leaves and produces its flower, it will not start making leaves again. Bromeliad plants provide an exotic touch to the home and bring a sense of the tropics and sun-kissed climates. However, they are considerably more tolerant than They do even better in shallow pots and may grow in low soil mediums such as orchid mix, a blend of bark, sphagnum moss and other organic amendments. For a long time, bromeliads were considered advanced or expert houseplants, more fit for a greenhouse than a normal home, but bromeliads are finally beginning to attract the attention they deserve. Bromeliads encompass many more plants than the common pineapple. Some grow without soil, others maintain their own “compost piles” and still others blush before they bloom. Never let the plant rest in standing water.
Make sure any water is drained from the bromeliad's central cup (the center of the plant that catches water) before attempting this.
Bromeliads are members of a plant family known as Bromeliaceae (bro-meh-lee-AH-say-eye).
Flowers may last a week or two or as long as a year. This lush tropical fruit quickly spread into regions where it could be cultivated, like India. Feed the plants with a half strength fertilizer every month in the growing season.Water needs are easily achieved by filling the cup at the base of the leaves. The more ancestral terrestrial bromeliads do not have this water storage capability and rely primarily on their roots for water and nutrient absorption. This website occasionally uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Bromeliad Blooms. The plants need medium to bright light as indoor specimens.New gardeners learning how to grow bromeliads will find that the plant doesn’t need deep pots or thick potting soils. Some species may have two growth patterns. Bromeliad plant care is easy and requires no special tools or fertilizers. In addition the Caroa species is cultivated for fiber. Some do better in sun rooms or greenhouses, others make good windowsill plants.
Some bromeliads are also found in cooler mountain regions. In nature, it is an epiphytic plant, which means it grows on other plants or trees. The most well known bromeliad is the pineapple. Jon VanZile is a Master Gardener and the author of "Houseplants for a Healthy Home."