What's up with this red pineapple plant?

Hi!

This is my Dad's red pineapple plant, and some of the fronds are turning white. Could it be because of a few days of cold weather we had, or might it be a bug or something else? I think it could be the 2-3 days of cold we had here in FL, because I have the same plant that's about the same size, but I brought mine inside for a few days when it got cold - but Dad left his outside.

What do the DGer's have to say? I'm posting this on the beginner houseplants forum too, just 'cuz it doesn't look like this forum's seen much action lately...

Thanks!

Rose

I am not a professional, but would say this is due to cold weather. Whenever it is below 45 degrees, I take my broms in.

It looks like the outer layer has been stripped off the leaves. Is that correct? Are the leaves weak and floppy?

I don't think any leaves have been removed, and the leaves seem fine - except the color.

No ~ sorry, I didn't mean had the leaves been removed. I was curious if the outer layer of the leaf was gone? I believe it is called the cambium layer. It is the green portion. It carries nutrients throughout the leaf. The reason I was asking... I have had different Sansevieria do that two winters in a row.

If this plants' leaf surface is fine, I would suspect you answered your own question regarding the cold.

I suspect it just got too cold and the white is where the leaves froze. It reminds me of an incident when my greenhouse heater failed many years ago. In any case I'd trim those leaves back to remove the white parts. It will be fine.

dave

Your Pineapple has frost damage. I suspect it was in an area where frost. more than actual cold, got it - unless there was moisture present. Our last cold snap hit you guys on the east coast real hard first, with the last night hitting Tampa Bay harder due to radiational cooling. Here in West Pasco (New Port Richey) my yard where exposed - the broms are toasty! Looked this way last year, too. It hit 29f here, and was below freezing 8 hours with HEAVY frost. Any Brom under canopy is fine. They are very hardy if kept away from frost. I have over 100 varieties growing everywhere in my yard, and the open exposed areas, hit hardest by the record cold of Dec., will come back, too. But, it will take a few months. Broms do not need to come in unless it gets near 32f. I never do, only perhaps cover areas if I can. I even have them growing up trees with minimal damage despite 6 freezes this Dec! Greg Sytch in New Port Richey (zone 9b)
A Vanda for your pleasure........

Glad to hear broms can be left out in cooler weather than what I have been giving mine. I always take then in when the temp drops below 45 degrees.

I love the pic above. I've never seen that one. Is that a viresa?

Would you be willing to do a trade with me. I have more broms than what I have listed on my Have list.

That Vanda is beautiful, Gsytch! Is it a kind of orchid? If it is, and you know a bit about both kinds of plants... I've got an extra question for you!

Can I mix broms and orchids in the same pot? I stuck a Billbergia (with all the dirt that was in it's smaller pot) in a planter with a couple of clearance orchids (that are planted in sphagum moss) but the sphagum and the dirt aren't separated in the pot. When I water (which is pretty infrequently, because the sphagum holds moisture well) - I was wondering if it was a bad thing to do that? They just look so pretty together...

Sure you can. Many Bromeliads and Orchids are epiphytic and in nature you find them (ferns too) covering tree branches. That said, I would not leave the moss at the top of the pot. As you said it holds moisture well, but at the top is where the Bromeliads do not want moisture. One of the few ways you can run into trouble with Bromeliads rotting is right at the base of the plant. In nature it's out in the moving air and does not stay continuously wet. I prefer to incorporate vermiculite into the potting mix to retain a reasonable bit of moisture.

Thanks for the tip digital_dave! That pot of plants is doing well. The Brom actually has two nice pups on it now, and the two tiny orchids that I haven't seen the flowers of are flowering. One I know is a basic purple, since a couple have opened, and the other I suspect will be the same. The larger orchid is also flowering, but the leaves have gone wrinkly - so I'll be re-potting soon...