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?
Camille, great find! That’s a beautiful bromeliad. However, once the bloom has ran it’s course, there is nothing you can do to save the flower. Bromeliads bloom once in a lifetime. When you are tired of looking at the dying bloom, cut the stem off inside the cup. After the blooming cycle, the mother plant will have offspring sprouting from the base which, at the proper time, will bloom. When flowering is over, 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. Hope this helps!
My bromeliad used to be a pretty purple in the center and now it’s a yellow-brown color. The white spots in the photo look almost like white mold and the leaves in the center are crunchy and the green leaves near the base are browning and curling! Please help!
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As beautiful as the blooms are, they won’t last forever. You will need to cut out the spent bloom from the rest of the plant. Simply cut the bloom out of the cup. Check here for an article that will explain it further: What To Do After Bromeliad Blooms Hope this helps!
Hi,
I recently bought three bromelaids. I have kept them in a room with moderate light exposure and I have watered them once a week when the soil was dry. On the larger bromelaid, brown spots are appearing on the leaves and on the two smaller ones the same thing is happening except the tips are curling. Te flower is also dying, so maybe it is at the end of the blooming cycle. I am confused if I am doing something wrong. I have included pictures. Thank you for your help!
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Here is another photo.
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Another photo.
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Last one. Thanks!
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Sidney,
The brown tips on the end and on the margins indicate a lack of water rather than over water. so increase the amount of water you give the plant or water it more often. Do this gradually so that you don’t end up over watering them.
I have had these two bromeliads for about 3 months, and they’ve been beautiful. A couple days ago, the center of one of the spearheads suddenly turned brown and mushier than usual. This is my first bromeliad, so I am not sure if this is part of the natural process. Theu recieve gentle sunlight for about 6 hours every day, and the soil is watered whenever it gets dry. I’m thinking I should go ahead and separate the two plants into separate pots in case the right one does indeed have a problem.
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I was given 2 adult bromeliads as a gift several months ago, and they are doing great. I have kept them both together in the same pot, and they seem to have plenty of room, but now one of the stalks is starting to lose its luster. Before the plant goes through its cycle and loses its flower, should I separate the two plants? I just don’t know how the pups will affect the already existing adult plant that hasn’t finished its bloom.
Chloe,
You plant is going through the normal blooming process. When the bloom become to unsightly, simply remove it by cutting the stalk off at the base of the plant. Both plants look healthy. There is no need at this time to separate them. In a year or so, you might need to re-pot them.
Try not to let the soil dry completely out. It is best to keep the soil evenly moist, but not soggy. You might want to mist the plant even few days as well.
Hi,
We have a giant bromeliad in the garden which was looking pretty good but have just found that it has broken off at the base. Is there anything we can do to save it?
Thanks
Kerrie,
If there are any leaves still attached to the roots, the plant might recover.
I think I killed my plant my flower came completely off and now my leaves look like they are dying… : (
I bought this bromeliad from home depot about a month ago, I took good care of it like the instructions said. I noticed the flower started to turn brown. I’ve been reading comments abou cutting off the flower from the cup but I dont know where exactly to cut the flower off. help please. I attached a picture, thank you
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Help Please, where at on the plant do I cut.
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Hi, I received this plant as a gift. I was away of some weeks and it was neglected – can I save it?
I moved it into a bigger pot and gave it fertilizers with water. It’s out in the shade under a big tree. It is pretty humid and rainy this time here. Also – is this Guzmanis? Thanks!
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Hi, I received this plant as a gift. I was away for some weeks and it was neglected – can I save it?
I moved it into a bigger pot and gave it fertilizers with water. It’s out in the shade under a big tree. It is pretty humid and rainy this time here. Also – is this Guzmanis? Thanks!
Attached Image: photo (5).jpg
Hagit,
The plant looks healthy other than the “bloom” (colored section of plant). As with all blooms, they eventually decline and need to be removed. So, I recommend cutting off the bloom. Then you can simply water and care for the plant as normal.
Paris,
Follow the bloom to a point where it meets green and cut if off at the juncture.
Hi so I got a pink bromeliad as a gift and it was doing great and it flowered then I wasn’t watering it as much as I should have and it got brown and gross looking on the flower and leaves. I am worried that ky flower will die and it hasn’t been producing any babies at all. I never used a fertiliser on it should I do that now?
Emma
Emma,
Once the flower turns brown there is no coming back. However, it should produce new leaves. If you can send a picture, I might be able to evaluate what kind of shape the plant is in.
I have 2 bromeliads both of which have leaves that are beginning to turn brown and dry out. what am i doing wrong and what do i need to do to save my plants?
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Rhi,
It looks like the only parts turning brown are the bloom leaves. This is normal. simply snip off the brown leaves and the green leaves will continue to grow. At some point, the plant will produce pups. The pups will be the next source of blooms.
Hello! I received a bromeliad plant (i think it’s a cherry red guzmania, but not sure) from a friend and planted it in our front yard, but it looks like it’s dying. I water it, and it’s staying half the day in the sun, but for some reason the leaves are yellowing.
I’ve attached a picture, if anyone could help me, I would be grateful. Hopefully it’s not too late.
Thank you!
Elizabeth
Hi there,
My name is Elizabeth and I have a bromeliad (I think it’s a guzmania cherry red), and the leaves on it are yellowing. It’s in the sun for most of the day and I water it all of the time. Is there any way to save it? I’ve attached an image as well so you can see what is happening to it.
I appreciate your advice.
Thank you.
Elizabeth
Elizabeth,
My first concern is that it’s staying half the day in the sun. This plant wants low to moderate light levels and should avoid direct sunlight altogether. The guzmania are more sensitive than most bromeliads, so half the day in the sun is probably your culprit. Get it in the shade. If you don’t want to move it, then give it an umbrella or some kind of cover to keep it from getting direct sun. You have it outside, but it should not be in temperatures below 55 degrees. Depending on where you live, that could also be a problem. If not now, then in the future. These work well as inside plants because of the light and temperature requirements, but they can be grown outside in the right climate.
Thanks,
Ed
Hi Ed,
Thank you so much! I’ll move it asap.
Thanks!
Elizabeth P.
Hi,
We bought a blue tango aechmea as a gift for Xmas, we were told it would last a few months in flower but the flower is turning brown it also has a white powdery substance on the flower. It is out of direct sunlight and I keep the tank watered (topping up every few days) . Has it just finished flowering or have I done something wrong? The leaf tips are brown too but were when we bought it so didn’t think of this as a problem…..help!
Thanks
Debbie
It may have just finished flowering. The white powder is normal, but you can wipe it off if you’d like to. Don’t wipe too hard, as you can damage the water absorbing elements of the leaf. The only factor you didn’t include in your comment was temperature. You want to make sure it is not subject to a temperature below 55 degrees F. If you have it next to a window or in direct line to a doorway to the outside, it could be getting colder than it would like.
Thanks,
Ed
Thanks ed,
It is being stored in my bedroom and the window is never open so it shouldn’t drop below 55 degrees F.
I bought this bromeliad around July 2014, it was really colourful and looked healthy but now the upper leaves have turned brown. I read somewhere on the internet these leaves need to be cut off which I did but wasn’t sure if I had to cut through the tube part too so I just cut the leaves. The plant lives in my bedroom and is opposite the window so doesn’t have direct sun on it at all but can still get some light. I make sure the tube of the plant has water in it as instructed in the care guide that came with the plant (it was bought in a supermarket so I don’t know how accurate these instructions are). I live in the UK and currently the temperature is between 40-45 degrees F and has been lower in the past few weeks. I don’t know what has gone wrong as you can see in the first picture the plant looked really healthy and now in the second picture the top of the plant is brown and crunchy, please help.
Ruth,
The browning on your plant is the normal decaying of the “bloom” and not the result of a water issue. So go ahead and snip the bloom off. I recommend moving the plant to a place where it won’t get colder than 55 degrees.
Thank you! The plant is now in a warmer corner of my bedroom, since cutting the bloom off the plant looks to be more healthy and has now produced a pup.
I just got this bromeliad from my mother, I noticed the corner of the leaves are shriveling and the plant doesn’t seem to be anchored, also the roots are visible, is any of this okay?
Jessi,
Visible roots are not necessarily an issue, but the shriveling leaves could indicate a problem. Can you send a picture so I can see if it is a watering issue. Also lift the plant out of the container and make sure there isn’t any signs of root rot.
Hello! i just bought these bromeliads about a month ago. Their leaves started turning brown. Are they overwatered or under watered? I have attached pictures for reference. Thanks and Happy Easter!
Here is a picture of the other bromeliad.
Kali,
Looks like over-watering maybe, but it could also be that the plant needs more humidity. The care instructions on this page might be helpful https://www.flowershopnetwork.com/flower-pictures/pl01005/bromeliad-tropical-bromeliad-plant/.
Hello , i bought a bromeliad a few months ago , it was a bright pink colour however for the last month it has turned into green and it has never bloomed either. What did i do wrong ?
Elfy,
Your plant may need more light. Try moving it to an area with brighter light, but not direct sun.
Thank you very much for your answer. :)
I just bought a guzmania cherry, and my cat has chewed some of the leaves on the ends. Will it kill the plant if I cut off the damaged parts? If it is ok to cut, how would you suggest I do so?
Elise,
You can trim off the damaged part of the leaf. I recommend cutting at an angle this should minimize the browning that will occur at the cut. Hope this information helps.
my guzmania has babies now and I have separated into a different pot. They are now growing but they have brown spots on the leaves. What is happening to it?
Cirine,
It depends on what kind of brown spot it it. If the browning is on the tip of the leaf it could be an indication of water stress possibly from the separation from the mother plant. The plant should grow out of this in a week or tow. Other browning can be caused by fungal or viral issues. If you send me a photo of the brown spots, I can better determine the issue. Just email me at jadams@flwoershopnetwork.com. Hope this helps.
I purchased 3 bromeliads a few months ago; I brought them home and re-potted them inside. One looks fine, but the two bigger ones blooms look rough. I don’t see any pups, and am not really sure of what to do.
Mandy,
When you say the plants look bad, do you mean the bloom or the whole plant. If it is just the bloom, that may be the naturally process of the bloom dying. As long as the rest of the plant looks good, just cut the bloom off and let it continue to grow. It might take awhile but the pups will form.
Hello,
I purchased a Guzmania from lowes about a week ago but it is also planted in the same pot with two other plants, a fern and one I’m not sure of the name (I’m a newbie at houseplants). I’ve been watering the plants with distilled water possibly too much? The bottom leaves on the guzmania are turning brown. It sits in a window that gets sun but no direct sun light. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me, I’m trying to not kill this thing haha!
Bethany,
It is hard tell if the browning is occurring because of something you are doing or if the damage occurred before you got the plant. I would make sure the plant is getting the right amount of water for the next week or so while you keep an eye on it. Cut the bottom leaves off and watch for new growth. As long as you don’t get any more brown leaves you should be fine. Hope This information helps.