They glow red, pink, yellow or orange – bromeliads are definitely among the most exotic of houseplants. Despite their spectacular appearance, these tropical plants are quite uncomplicated. Here you can find out the 3 things you need to consider when caring for bromeliads to ensure they flower reliably and don’t die.
Caring for bromeliads properly
Among the best-known bromeliads are the “Guzmania” with its intensely bright bracts and the “Vriesea” with its sword-shaped bracts. Strictly speaking, the strikingly colorful flowers are actually the bracts of the houseplant. The actual flowers of the bromeliad are hidden between the bracts. However, this does not detract from the joy of this colorful houseplant. If you also want to enjoy the plant’s colorful bracts, you should keep these 3 things in mind when caring for bromeliads.
1. the right location
Bromeliads originally come from the tropics and subtropics – they therefore prefer a room temperature of over 18 °C and a certain humidity all year round. A bright spot in a bathroom with a window would be ideal, for example. If the air is too dry, however, the houseplants are susceptible to pests and spider mites.
A bright location is also necessary for the houseplant to develop its colorful bracts. However, make absolutely sure that bromeliads are not exposed to direct sunlight. This would cause the edges of the leaves to turn brown. In summer, these eye-catching plants can also be kept on the balcony between June and September – just make sure that it is no colder than 15 degrees at night.
2. water and fertilize bromeliads
In their native habitat, bromeliads grow on trees and therefore have few roots. So that they can absorb sufficient water and nutrients, they collect them in their funnel-shaped leaf rosettes. When caring for bromeliads in a pot, you should always pour water onto the leaf rosette from above. This is the only way the water can flow into the funnels. In summer, the leaf funnels should always be filled with water; in winter, the exotic houseplants require significantly less water. However, drooping leaves are always a sign that the bromeliad has not been watered enough.
Irrespective of this, you should always keep the substrate for bromeliads moderately moist so that the root ball does not dry out. Use low-lime water at room temperature or, ideally, rainwater for watering. As tropical houseplants like high humidity, you can mist or spray them with soft water from time to time. Also fertilize bromeliads at regular intervals – but don’t put the fertilizer in the funnel, but in the substrate.
3. propagate bromeliads and make them bloom
You can enjoy the colorful bracts of the bromeliad for months. However, the actual flowers of the houseplant wilt very quickly. You need to know that bromeliads only flower once, if at all. With a bit of luck, however, several daughter rosettes will form during the flowering period – known as spikelets.
Unfortunately, the mother plant itself dies after flowering – you can tell by the fact that its colored bracts gradually fade. When the bromeliad’s offspring are about half the size of the mother plant, you can cut them off and plant them in their own pot of soil. However, it will take around three years for the offspring of your bromeliad to flower. So patience is required here.
Tip: To get your bromeliad to bloom, you can help it along with a piece of apple and a plastic bag. Place small pieces of apple or apple peel in the leaf funnels for 3 weeks and cover the bromeliad with a bin liner. This produces the gas ethylene, which promotes flower formation. Then leave the bin liner on the houseplant for a further 7 to 17 weeks.
Bromeliads may have a limited lifespan, but they are very decorative and easy to care for. With these tips, nothing can go wrong when caring for your houseplant. Good luck!
Source: mein-schoener-garten
Thumbnail images: ©Nico De Pasquale Photography via Getty Images, Daniela Duncan via Getty Images
