Bromeliad

Bromeliad plants are actually an entire family of plants with over 2600 members! Talk about a big family. Some of the most popular Bromeliads are Tillandsia, Guzmania and Aechmea Bromeliads. They all have one thing in common: their striking appearance!

  • Safe for pets and children
  • Fertilize once a month
  • Bright, indirect light
  • Very little water

About the Bromeliad

Origin

The Bromeliad has been around for a long time. This is the grand daddy of tropical plants! Remains of a bromeliad have been found to be over 30 million years old. It finds its origin in the wild Andes mountains and tropical rain forests of Uruguay but can nowadays be found almost anywhere in Latin and South America. Bromeliads are grown in the forests as Epiphytes which means they grow on top of existing forest growth such as trees. In more rural areas they are even known to grow on other things such as electricity cables. The Inca's and Aztec nations used the Bromeliads for food and rituals. This is why this plant is known to have a rich place in cultural history!

Air Purification

Bromeliads aren't well known for their air purifying abilities. There are no clues that indicate these plants are better at producing oxygen than any other regular tropical plant but there are no clues either that say they aren't good at it. We'll consider them a low air purifier for now!

Toxicity

Bromeliads are not toxic. Yay!

Caring for a Bromeliad

Watering

Bromeliads don't need a lot of water. Make sure to allow the top inch or two of soil dry out before watering again. When you do water your Bromeliad, poor a little bit of water in the urn or vase of the plant. Bromeliads store water there and they love getting some replenishment!

Light and Placement

Bromeliads aren't exactly a fan of direct light, but a nice and warm, bright spot will do just fine. It's always best to keep them away from any south facing window sills to ensure there are no sunrays hitting the leaves.

Nutrition

Some bromeliads will like some plant food every two weeks in summer, others are fine without, such as Tillandsias. You'll want to use a low nitrogen fertilizer for your Bromeliads for the best results.

Repotting

Repotting isn't necessary for the Bromeliads as these plants are typically held as a 'one-year' plant. Once the flower subsides, so does eventually the plant itself.

Pruning and Flowering

When you see yellow or brown leaves it is typically a sign of too much sunlight. You can cut any leaves that are yellow or brown without any risks. Bromeliads only flower once, luckily they usually last for three to six months!

Bromeliad SOS

Illness

Bromeliads are prone to root rot so be careful when watering your plant and make sure to remember: less is more!

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