I bought this little vriesea already potted in a glass ball (no drainage) along with Spanish moss. It was blooming when I received it. I've been keeping it in my office, where the overhead fluorescent lights are on 8 - 10 hrs/weekday, and there is a CFI on an adenium 16 hr/day (the vriesea is not under the CFI, but gets indirect light from the CFI), and the temp stays a pretty constant 75 deg F. Been watering when it feels dry (with distilled water, a perk of having one's own lab) when I stick my finger in the "moss." Today the leaves look on the pale side, the bloom looked pallid (so I cut it off). Question- should it be moved closer to the CFI? Have a light meter, how many ft-candles does this brom like? Should it be repotted into a vessel that drains? The seller advised against repotting when I bought it but now seeing it look sort of pathetic makes me wonder. Thanks in advance.
Help for Vriesea Christiane
I don't have a good feel for light by foot-candles, but Vrieseas are generally lower light plants. Of course, in Winter, we don;t have uch light to begin with, so the more the better. Distilled water is very good for humidity and moisture. I would get rid of the moss. It might allow you to water less often, but it hampers air circulation at the base of the plant where rotting can occur.
Temperatures are probably OK. Christiane is from Brazilian lines, so it won't need a drop in night temperature to be happy. You shouldn't need to repot.
Start looking for pups. When they are about 1/3 the size of the mother plant you can remove them. Most Vrieseas pup without stolons, so you have to be careful to seperate the pup with some of the woody base of mother plant. When you're ready to do the surgery, gently tilt the pup away from mom as you cut.
Dave.
Thanks for the reply. I just pulled the vriesea out of its non-draining pot, and there must be some rot going on, because there is a bad sulfurous odor from the medium below the tillandsia. I have it partly lifted to expose the roots to air until I can bring a draining pot in tomorrow. The non-draining pot is cute, supposed to look like a Christmas tree ornament with an opening for the vriesea, but boy, is it ever not good for the plant IMO.
I like planting my plants in plastic draining pots then slipping them into the design pot with out drainage. This way your plant is happy and you have pretty display fro your beautiful plant !
Happy Growing !
Vriesea Christiane is no more. The vendor never should have potted it like that, it was doomed from the start. :(
This message was edited Jan 24, 2007 6:46 PM