Find Your Ask the Expert: Bromeliad care/literature?
I have a customer who would like some information and literature on how to care for her new Bromeliad plant. Do you have some printable information I could send her or do you have a suggestion of a website that may be helpful?
Maegen,
These are the care instructions we give to our garden center customers when they purchase a Bromeliad
BROMELIAD
Care Instructions:
WHEN FLOWERING – Feed with a 20-20-20 fertilizer once a month. Do not let the soil dry out; evenly moist is the ideal state. Water the soil only. If you fill the cup and let it flow over into the soil, this water must be changed every 2 days. Conditions vary in each household or office, check by lifting the plant daily. The pot should feel heavy versus the rest of the plant. Water should not be dripping from the bottom, nor should it be sitting in an enclosed container holding water. The holes in the bottom of the pot are for good drainage. If the plant seems to lose its luster, you can always mist it with the same rate of fertilizer (only the plant – not the flower).
WHEN FINISHED FLOWERING – Cut the stem off inside the cup. Bromeliads flower once in a lifetime. After the blooming cycle, the mother plant will have offspring sprouting from the base which, at the proper time, will bloom. The feeding in this period is stronger. Use the same fertilizer at the same strength but with every watering. If you lose roots, turn to misting daily for two weeks.
FLOWERING – Bromeliads can be forced to flower after one year of growth. Drop a small slice of tomato, apple, or any fruit into the cup. The decomposition of this fruit will release ethylene gas and induce the flowering. If the plant is older it will flower with the change of seasons. Feeding in this period is stronger. Use the same fertilizer at the same strength but with every watering. If you lose roots, turn to misting daily for two weeks.
ENJOY
I have a red bromelaid that I bought a couple of months ago. It has three flowers. It has lost its red lustre and started to brown. The tip has fell off one flower, and looks like the others will follow. I water the soil, and cups, and have misted too. I have had it living indoors with us until a few days ago, and have now placed it on the patios to try and save it. Is it sick, what should I do? Have read several websites but does not seem to describe my symptoms. Please help us. Thank You
Jo,
What part of the plant is turning brown – leaves – flower – fruit? If it is the fruit (oval seed pods that occur after blooming – then browning is a natural occurrence. If the bloom is turning brown this also can be a natural aging process and although disappointing not detrimental to the plant.
However if the leaves are turning brown, that is another story. First unless you live in the very sounther tip of Texas or Florida or along the coast of California or southern California, bring the bromeliad inside – they can’t take temperatures under 28 degrees. Check for root rot – if your pot doesn’t drain well, the bromeliad maybe experiencing root rot. If this is the case re-pot the bromeliad into a pot with better drainage. Although pests don’t usually affect bromeliads, check for spider mites and scale. You will need a magnifying glass to see the spider mites. The scale will look like some kind of bump or cottony substance on the leaves. If you have either one of these insects you will need to treat with an insecticide.
Please let me know if any of these symptoms fit your plant – if not I’ll try to find more information for you.
We have a bromelaide that had a big, bright leathery red spear-like flower in the center, encircled with green leaves. Flower was cut out, when it lost color. We had some “pups” along base of the plant. We cut back a few leaves to allow the “pup” room to get heighth. Watered the plant around the base. Now, notice “pups” are rotting. Leaves of main large plant are looking ill. What is happening to the “pups?” Please help
Marijane,
Always cut the flower stalk out completely. When the plant delvelops pups it is best to remove them and pot them in their own pot. Make sure during the watering process that the soil is moist but not soggy. Don’t leave water in the cups of the plant. I would repot the main plant and any pups into individual pots with a peat based potting soil. good luck
I bought a pink spear/flower (?) bromeliad a few months ago and have kept the soil decently moist and in medium-bright light. The plant gave us a small purple flower off the spear a month or so ago, but otherwise has not opened and the spear has faded to green. It otherwise seems healthy. What am I doing wrong and/or need to do differently to get the color back and main flower to bloom?
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Debbie,
Your plant looks healthy but the bloom is in its natural state of decline. All blooms have a life cycle . In this particular one the color will fade but the bloom will hang on for quite a while. Keep doing what you are doing to maintain the health of the plant. You can however dead-head the bloom to encourage it t produce another one. Simply follow the bloom stem to the base of the plant and cut it off. Good luck and keep me posted.
Hi, I received a bromeliad plant as a gift. It was beautiful I went out of town and my husband didn’t water it for about 3 1/2 weeks. When I got back the red at the top had turned brown and some of the leaves are turning brown also. Should I cut off the top? I took a few pictures, but I’m not sure I can attach more than one. Thank you so much for your time and help.
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Melissa,
You can try to cut the bloom off and save the plant but it looks really damaged. Keep the soil moist and not soggy hopefully the plant will recover. However it probably won’t look good. The best that you can hope for is that babies will form and you can harvest them to create new plants.
Sorry.
Thanks, Jamie.
Hi. I bought a bromeliad about two months ago from a local greenhouse. They told me to water it 3-4 times a week and I’ve been doing that faithfully. I keep it on a windowsill with southern exposure, so it gets plenty of sunlight, and the temperature in the room stays at about 70F or so all the time. However, the tips of the leaves are brown and crunchy, one leaf is brown all the way through (I’m very tempted to just remove that leaf from the plant), and there is similar damage lower on the leaves (in other words, not just on the tips). Before, I was noticing some white powder on the leaves as well. My friend, who works in the greenhouse where I bought it, told me they had been having some problems with mealybug infestation, so I bought a combination fungicide-miticide-insecticide spray (thought I’d cover all the bases) and have been spraying it down every Monday for three weeks now. The white powder is gone (perhaps that was a fungus?) but the leaves are still very crunchy. Should I be watering it more than 3-4 times a week? Is it too much sunlight that’s causing the damage? Or maybe I’m just expecting it to get better too quickly and I should relax and wait a few more weeks. It just tears me up that it’s so unhealthy. What am I doing wrong? I’d be really sad if I couldn’t save it. I’ll be very grateful for any advice you could give me! Thanks!
Michelle,
Once the leaves turn brown they will not recover, so trim all the brown off the plant. Now as to why they became brown in the first place. If the bromeliad is to close to the window, the glass might be acting as a magnifier and may be scorching the leaves. Move the plant slightly away from the window. You should water the bromeliad only when the soil feels dry to the touch. When you do water saturate the soil completely. You will know that it is completely saturated when some water trickles from the bottom. Once a plant becomes stress it takes a little while for it to recover. So be patient and watch your leaves. Once you cut the brown off and you keep your soil moist but not soggy, the leaves should not turn brown. If this still occurs move the plant farther away from the window. Good Luck and keep me posted.
Dear Jamie,
Thanks so much for your advice! I moved the plant away from the window and trimmed the most damaged leaves off the plant. (Trimming all the leaves with some brown on them would’ve meant trimming off all the leaves!) Then, today, as I was watering it, I noticed a tiny baby plant at the base. The main plant still looks very sickly, and seems to be yellowing from the top down. Is there a way to save the baby plant, because I think the mother is a lost cause…?
Yours,
Michelle
Michelle,
You can separate the “pup” from the mother plant.
According to The Bromeliad Society International “Bromeliads start forming pups after they bloom (and many times before). These pups are ready to be separated when they reach about 1/3 to 1/2 the size of the parent plant. If the pup is starting to form roots, that’s a good indication that the plant can survive on its own. Pups may be removed by cutting with a sharp knife or clippers as close to the mother plant as possible.”
If you need more information about separating the “pup” check read the rest of the information on the Bromeliad Society International site and go to their FAQ section. Good luck and keep me posted.
I have a new bromeliad and my cat chewed the leaves.. they haveslits in them now…. can I cut them off past the damaged part without a problem?
Yes, you can cut the damaged leaves off. However, I would cut the leaves off comepletely rather than just at the damaged part.
We bought a Bromilad tree on clearance, there were several pups and three adults. We seperated all of them to pots and left pups on tree. One of the adults has brown mushy center. It is the kind that is varigated and does not flower, but is the kind that has red leave toward center. What should we do? Should we not keep water in the center? Should we put the pups in potting soil instead of moss in the driftwood tree?
Although you can fill the cups with water, you don’t want the water to stagnate in the cups. If the water doesn’t evaporate after a few days pour the water out of the cup. In very humid areas water in the cup can cause a rotting situation which seems to be what happened to yours.
The brown mushy center will only spread and eventually cause the plant to die. You can try to cut the mushy part off but it will probably still die. If the pups are attached to this one remove them and pot them separately. Normally, I would pot the bromeliads in potting soil. However if the driftwood container has ample room for the root system of the bromeliads and the moss will hold the right moisture level, you should be ok to leave them in the tree.
You might want to send me some pictures. With the pictures I can tell what other factors are affecting the plants.
I have had my bromeliad for a few months now. Are they very slow growing plants? Mine doesn’t look as though it has changed much at all. I don’t do much with it other than water it every few days. The tips of it’s leaves are turning a little brown and curled under slightly. Is this okay?
Thanks!
Yes, they seems to grow slowly. It depends whether the leaves turning brown are the colored “bloom” or the green leaves at the bottom. As the “bloom” leaves age, they will turn brown and begin the process of dying – a natural occurrence for blooms. However, any other leaves should not turn brown. You might need to increase water or move from a direct light source.
Hi hope you can answer these questions even though the last post is over a year old! I let my bromeliad get too much sun while it was flowering and also possibly under watered it. I also think it got too big for it’s pot. Will it finish blooming? Or can I start that process over by deadheading it? It has a pup growing but it is very small. Should I re-pot it and see how it goes? Thank you Laura
The flower will not rejuvenate. Unfortunately, deheading will not help it bloom again. The best bet would be to let the pup get big enough to separate from the mother plant. As for repotting, unless the plant is extremely crowded in the pot, I would let it be. The natural response in cases like yours is to give the plant more water. However, this can result in over-watering. Instead make sure you go back to your normal watering routine. Good luck. Please let me know if I can help with anything else.
hi, the mother plant turned brown and died but one pup grew out and seemed to do well for a little while. Other than not watering the cup at this stage, should the plant be transplanted? Currently its in original “packaging”: glazed pot with large holes at the side and the plant sitting inside a small bulb of a soil clump wraped several fold inside a breathable plastic/canvas material. and nothing else. I have some coconut coir I wnat to use as planting medium and natural fertilizer by johns recipe lady bug consisting of fish emulsion, molases, seaweed, root promoting acid and more natural: 2.5:3:2 ratio.
I have a question about the pups of the bromeliad. I’ve been searching long and hard about them in particular. My pup looks very healthy and is growing fast but today I noticed some browning at the very base of the plant where it meets the soil. I’m worried that this browning might be some type of rotting? The two very bottom leaves have edges that are browning a tiny bit too. Is this normal?
Alisa,
If your pup is at least half the size the mother plant was or about 8″ long, you can transplant it. If not wait until it is. When you remove the bromeliad pup from the mother and transplant it, make sure you divide it at the exact point in which the pup is attached to the mother’s main stem. If you don’t do this, you will wind up with leaves and no stem substance. Plant the Bromeliad offspring in a well-drained soil mixture. I’m not sure that the coconut coir alone will be the best soil mixture. I would try a blend of maybe African violet soil and coconut coir.
Susanna,
The browning could be an indication of too much chlorine in the water you are using. It could also be a sign of over-watering. Your soil needs to be kept moist, but the leaves of the bromeliad should not sit in water. So, check your soil if the water moisture is correct than chlorine is the problem. Before watering leave the water in an open container for 24hrs. This will let the chlorine evaporate before you use it.
Hi,
I read some of these comments and tried to save my plant. I pretty sure I made the situation worse though! The flower had almost all turned brown and some of the leaves were turning brown too. I haven’t watered the plant in about 2 weeks but the soil is still very moist. I tried to separate the flower from the leaves but managed to pull out everything! There is still a little stub in the pot. Will this grow back or should I just throw it out and try again? Oh, also there are little bugs in the soil.
I’m sorry but you best bet would be to throw out and get a new plant.
I purchased a beautiful dark green bromeliad (cup style) with a deep red flower out the center a couple months ago. It held in there really well for the first month, then started turning brown, first at the corners of the green leaves then at the corners of the red flower leaves.
First I thought it was due to chlorine in my water (there is a ton in my water supply) so I kept an old wine bottle full of water next to the plant to water it with, assuming that the chlorine would evaporate before watering and that the humidity from the water evaporating from the re-filled bottle couldn’t hurt. I checked to water it only when the soil began to feel dry, and every time the soil began to feel dry. It keeps getting worse.
The plant is in a bright room but well away from the windows and never subjected to any direct light. Temperatures fluctuate from 65 F to 95 F in the room, depending on the day of the week and whether it is night or day. I purchased a bromeliad-specific fertilizer that suggests using it only while the plant is “growing,” which mine is definitely not doing. Does it need food? Does it need more humidity (I live in a desert, hence the temperature shifts)? I have no pups to salvage yet, so hopefully I can coerce it into surviving until there is some offspring!! Any help would be much appreciated; I am failing at keeping my tomatoes alive this year and it would be a blow to the greenness of my thumb if my favorite houseplant also keeled over.
Mandy,
The bloom is in its declining stage which all blooms eventually go through. There is no way to save the bloom. you can however save the plant. I would water the soil only, give it a little fertilizer and wait for the pups to appear.
My bromeliad has grown so much that I had to repot it in a larger heavier pot so it didn’t fall over. It has really outgrown the space I have available in the window for it. Can I prune it back without killing it? What would be the best way to prune it?
I would not recommend pruning a bromeliad. It doesn’t need to be in a window. You can move the bromeliad to a place where it receives bright indirect light and it should still do well.
Hello,
Im having some trouble with my bromeliad pups the mother died and was thrown away the pups have been doing well until i noticed they looked as though they were falling apart, drooping and browning, they dont seem to have a root system or stem, what can i do to keep these healthy and not die?
also, i have another brom whose flower died so i cut the stem down but the leaves are green and healthy, no signs of pups yet but am wondering if the will grow being that the pot is narrow and may not have enough room, do I just wait it out? I have attached pics of the pups which are in the larger round green pot and the healthy brom as well please help!
Hi I have a Fiery Bromeliad that i got about 2 months ago from a nursery but before it came home it was used for two days as a decoration for an assembly so then within the first week i didn’t realize that it need that much sun light and i also believe i over watered it. Anyhow my beautiful plant started turning brown so i looked up info and sat it close to the window and misted it only until all the water in the soil kinda dried up and is now just moist but it browned i follow the advice of cutting the brown off soo its naked now but i was wondering do i need to cut of the middle part( or flower the part that was yellow ) as well or should i just see what happens or is it a lost cause.. whats left of it is a bright green …o and when we water do we water in the middle of the plant or do we water the soil?? saw that you mentioned not to leave water in the cups.. thank you for the help Edith
It’s possible the plant is too close to the window and getting too hot. Try moving your plant further away from the window, where it can still get the light, but out of direct sun. Your plant is stressed out from a number of different causes: (1) the changes in environment from its first location to your home, (2) not getting enough light and too much water for a short time, (3) removal of it’s leaves. (4) dry soil. As you can see, your plant has been on a bit of a roller coaster ride, and is in shock. It’s important to start a watering routine to keep your Bromeliad healthy. Water often, making sure the soil is moist, but *not* wet. Bromeliads are from tropical rain forests and are used to a lot of moisture and humidity, however, they usually live in the nooks and crannies of trees so they aren’t used to standing in water. Make sure your plant has good drainage and never is allowed to sit in water, this will cause serious damage to the roots.
As for cutting out your flower… it depends. If the flower is still alive, leave it. Bromeliad flowers last for months and should only be cut out when it is on full decline. Your plant needs close attention to make a recovery, even then, it may never bloom again. Take regular care of your plant and hope for the best. Keep an eye out in the soil for new plants! Your bromeliad will eventually spawn pups that will grow into full plants and these will bloom. Good luck! For more information, check out the full Bromeliad Basic Care Guide.
The flower on my bromeliad has died and I cut it at the base. The plant is producing pups (I think) Now do I have to remove the pups and replant them? Or can I just leave them attached and they will bloom in the same pot?
As long as there is enough room in your pot, you don’t have to remove them. However, in a smaller pot, too many bromeliads will choke out each other. See this post on Bromeliad care for more information.
The leaves on my bromelaid got torched from the sun. I trimmed away all of the leaves that we’re destroyed and now my plant looks a little bare. Will a bromeliad grow it’s leaves back?
It should put new leaves out. Hwoever, not in the place where you cut the leaves off.
Hello, I have a bromeliad that was given to me by my mother and it is very important to me. It the last week, the flower has started to turn brown when it was a bright red. I have had the plant for about 3 months now and it has been fine that entire time till this last week. I have not change the routine. I have tried to research this problem online but I could not figure it out. I have attached a picture. Please let me know what you think.
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Terri,
All blooms will eventually look like yours – that is the natural progression. To make the plant a little more attractive at this point, follow the bloom stalk to the base of the plant and cut it off. Your plant looks healthy so keep the care of the plant the same. The plant may not put on another bloom, but should produce pups (baby plants) that you will be able to transplant and they will eventually bloom. Hope this information was helpful.
I bought my mother a bromeliad about 2-3 months ago. The bloom is starting to get a tiny bit of brown on the tips but otherwise still looks fairly healthy and so does the plant. But the flower stalk looks like it has white mildew or mold on it? Is this normal or should I cut the flower out. Will this spread to the plant and damage it? I don’t see any pups starting yet. Thanks for any help! Carol
Carol, the white powder on your bromeliad is probably normal and is actually UV-reflective. In the UV sensitive vision of insects, this powder coating must make the bromeliads stand out. If you can reply with a picture, we can confirm this. Also, I wouldn’t worry about cutting your flower out until it is no longer pleasing to look at.
Hello! I’m’ new to your site, but took the time to read thought your page of comments, but didn’t see my “exact” problem. This is my 2nd attempt at raising a bromeliad plant, (notice I said attempt). Both plants had the striking fire red leaves at the top, turning into the dark green leaves below. The first plant I’m quite certain that we loved it to death by overwatering it, and watering it incorrectly. However, this plant we have been watering it from the top, allowing the water to fill the inside of the “cup” and then overflow into the soil (as per the instructions of both the nursery and the leaflet that came with the plant). Unfortunately, this plan is doing exactly the same thing the first one did, the beautiful red leaves have turned brown, and the plant appears to be dying from the top downwards. I have included a photo for your preview. Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
Brown Thumb Bromeliad….
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my bromelaid used to be pink but now it looks yellow and green with Brown in the middle.
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and this is also another pic but clearer
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Zara, that is the flower portion of your bromeliad and, although they last a long time, it won’t last forever. Once it has finished flowering, cut the stem of the flower off inside the cup. Bromeliads flower once in a lifetime. After the blooming cycle, the mother plant will have offspring sprouting from the base which, at the proper time, will bloom. It is a good idea to fertilize at this stage with your watering. If you lose roots, turn to misting daily for two weeks. Hope this helps.
I don’t know what to do?!? I water once a week, does not sit in direct sunlight but is placed indirect. This evening I was looking at it and trying to figure out what has gone wrong, and some of the leaves came off in my hand with the slightest tug. As well, I have not seen anything to resemble a pup or offspring. I have been challenged to keep my plant alive! Help!! :)
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First, check your watering habits. Although watering once a week may be okay in some seasons, in others it may need more or less. Be sure to completely saturate the soil, but also allow excess water to drain away. Keep an eye out and use your finger to test the soil to see if it needs to be watered again. Poke into the soil up to your first knuckle, if it is still moist to the touch, give it another day or two and check it again. If that’s not the case, think about anything that might have changed in the last few months that could have effected the plant. Was it moved? Did it become colder? Hope this helps!
I found the Bromeliad attached rolling around on the ground outside a petrol station – I guess it was thrown away because the flower had started to brown. I thought I might be able to rescue it, so I brought it home and watered it (not too much) and it now sits in the dining room near the window. The leaves are lovely and healthy, but the flower seems to have browned even further and I was wondering if you could provide some advice as to what to do with it. Looking forward to hearing from you!
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