Bromeliad
A rosette of strappy leaves with a vivid flower spike that lasts for months. Pet-safe, undemanding, and unusual in one way: you water the central cup, not just the soil. The mother plant dies after flowering and leaves pups behind.
Bromeliads are the plant you buy for the flower: a red, orange or pink spike that holds its colour for three to six months. They are pineapple relatives, and the care is easy once you know the one trick. The leaves form a cup in the centre, and that cup is where they drink.
After flowering the mother plant slowly declines and produces pups around the base. That is not you failing; it is the plant's life cycle.
Light
Bright indirect light. An east window, or a few feet from a south one. The stiffer and greyer the leaves, the more light the type can take. Soft green-leaved types like Guzmania want less. Direct sun scorches them.
Water
Keep a small amount of water in the central cup and flush it out with fresh water every couple of weeks so it does not go stale. Water the soil lightly when the top inch is dry, about weekly in summer. Use filtered or rain water; bromeliads are sensitive to minerals.
Soil and potting
A fast-draining, airy mix, ideally orchid bark mixed with potting soil. The roots are mostly for anchoring. A small pot is fine; repot pups when they are a third the size of the parent.
Feeding
Barely. A quarter-strength feed in the soil every eight weeks in summer. Never put fertiliser in the cup.
Propagation
Pups. Once the mother has flowered and the pups reach a third of her size, cut them away with a sharp knife, keeping any roots, and pot them up. They flower in a year or two.
In a hot, dry home
Better than you would expect. The cup gives it a private water supply, and it copes with dry air if it is out of AC drafts. Grouping it with other plants helps in high summer. Refresh the cup water more often when the house is warm.
Bromeliad varieties
Same care, different look. These are the named forms you will see for sale.
- Guzmania
Star-shaped bracts in red, orange, yellow or purple. The common gift bromeliad.
- Pink Quill (Tillandsia cyanea)
A flat pink paddle with purple flowers.
- Vriesea (Donna, Splenriet, Energy)
Flat, sword-shaped flower spikes in red and yellow.
- Medusa (Tillandsia caput-medusae)
An air plant with twisted, snaky leaves.
- Neoregelia Fireball
A small red rosette that colours in bright light.
- Silver Vase (Aechmea fasciata)
Silver-banded leaves and a long-lasting pink flower head.
- Cryptanthus (Earth Star)
Flat, starfish-shaped rosettes in pink, red or striped. Grows in soil, not a cup.
Problems and fixes
Brown leaf tips
Likely cause: Dry air or tap water minerals
Fix: Use filtered water and raise humidity.
Rotting at the base
Likely cause: Soggy soil
Fix: Water the soil far less; keep the cup topped up instead. Repot in bark mix.
Flower spike fading
Likely cause: Normal after a few months
Fix: Cut the spike off at the base and look for pups.
Mother plant dying after flowering
Likely cause: The natural life cycle
Fix: Nothing to fix. Pot up the pups and let the mother go.
Bromeliad questions
Are bromeliads safe for cats and dogs?
Yes. Bromeliads are non-toxic to pets.
How do I water a bromeliad?
Keep a little water in the central cup, flush it every couple of weeks, and water the soil lightly when the top inch is dry. Filtered water is best.
Will my bromeliad flower again?
The mother plant flowers once. Its pups will flower in a year or two when they mature.
