Hello. I have a question about a Bromeliad I have. First let me tell you this is my 3rd or 4th one! (They don't last too long with me!) They either die or get eaten and ripped up by my cat. But anyhow, I have a pretty big one now, which I purchased about 3 weeks ago. It was doing fine it the container it came in, so I left it alone. But I started watering it more and more, as I saw the leaves turning yellowish, brown. Also, I had it outside in the direct sun. So 1st I moved it out of sun, then I brought it inside, then I stopped watering it so much. It looks terrible & I know it's not doing well. I even tried transplanting it. Any suggestions? It really was a beautiful one. I don't want to see this one go too! This one cost $20 I think. And should I cut the dead leaves off, or pull them off, or leave the leaves alone?!!
I have discovered....
Do you know what kind it is? They like well draining soil & water into the cup. I am learning so much, but have been moving mine all over my yard until I find the right spot. Once they find it they are happy!
I'm gonna upload a pic maybe someone can tell me what kind it is. I'd love to know. But what about sun? Morning sun only? Shade? Thanks!
Hi Terichris, the Brom I think you're looking at is Alcantarea imperialis and they get huge! With a HUGE flower spike. They like full sun, and will produce pups after flowering, but I think it takes a couple of years to get to flowering stage.
Hi Latelybloomin, Mmmmmm, I don't know if the damage might already be done, or if the plant has just finished its life. It will only flower once, then usually produce a couple of offsets, (pups) then die. So if you bought it in flower, it was already in decline, but given ideal conditions, should have produced at least one pup for you. Although, some Broms are know to not produce pups at all!
I usually start a brom off in dappled shade, if it copes, (and I feel the need to put it elsewhere), I move it to a morning sun position, or very late afternoon, low sun position, definitely no midday sun! There are only a few that can survive with that, and they need to be introduced to it gradually. It sounds as though your one had burnt leaves which you may have mistaken for die back from lack of water, and then you may have overwatered it.
During warmer weather, it is ok to water your broms regularly, aslong as they are in a well drained soil/position. During colder weather, I dont water the soil at all, but look to see if the tanks/vases have water in them, and top up as required. The types that don't have tanks/vases, (Vrieseas, Guzmanias, e.t.c) I would let dry out between watering. Unless we have an extremely dry summer, I usually leave it to the rain to do my watering for me.
You can cut the dead leaves off if you like, because they are no longer contributing to the collection of light and conversion to food for the plant. Also they probly look crap!
Well, you've tried everything to make it better, so my suggestion would be to put it in shade, no direct sun at all, and let it dry out between watering and cross your fingers! A picture would be of help, or if you scroll back up through the posts and find one similar, I can tell you what it might need. Each post has a number beside it, so just write that, (if it applies) and we can all go back and look.
If anyone else has any advice, please feel free to add!
Latelybloomin needs our help!
Okay here's a pic & I must say the pic does it justice, because all leaves are dried and brown & curling up. Well except the part of the leaf closest to the stem. (There's some green in there!) Do you really think it's spent? That's it? I got robbed on this one then! I definitely bought it the way it is, except w/ a healthier look to the leaves, and the red raspberry part. That's turning brown too! (Is that the pup?) Thanks for the feedback, Weed. I'd love to know what else you or anyone thinks. Is there any chance to bring this back to life? I only bought it 3 weeks ago.
Greetings Latelybloomin ..........
Your Bromeliad is a Guzmania - one of any number of hybrids being produced today. This variety has soft leaves (compared to many other types) and thrives in shady conditions. Chances are that you burnt the leaves when you put it in direct Texas sun. It will take some early morning sun - but certainly nothing after 11:00 a.m.. Guzmanias want to be moist - but not wet; keep the center filled with fresh water - and water the roots once or twice a week. Do not keep the potting medium soggy! These plants are very reliable about producing pups; when the colored bract begins to decline - cut it off and continue to care for the plant. Sooner or later you will see one or more small plants coming up from the base. You can remove these when they are approximately half the size of the parent ........ or you can leave them as they are. The host plant will gradually die - though it could take up to three years.
While the browned leaves may be unsightly - they will not stop the plant from growing. You can leave them as is ......... or remove them to "clean up" the look.
One of the great joys of bromeliads is their ability to withstand even the most deplorable conditions. They are slow to die - and consequently give us plenty of time to correct whatever is negatively affecting them!
John
Thanks! I have to have an Alcantarea imperialis !!!
Hey, thanks John for the feedback. So there is some hope. I want to get the brownparts of the leaf off which is most of each leaf. Do I pull them out or cut them with pruners or scissors? Well thanks to you and Weed I definitely will keep it out of the sun! And, I wasn't sure if water should stay in that lower middle area. (I forgot what it's called!) But, it did come that way and I thought i needed to pour it out after the 1st few days, and that's pretty much when things started to go down hill. Very hot sun & then about 6 inches or rain! Of course, I totally forgot the plant outside & it got so soggy! So, I appreciate the help! And now my injured plant has a name too! He he!
Use a pair of scissors to cut the leaves, but clean them first to avoid infection.
Cut the leaf as close as possible to the shape of an undamaged leaf, then it won't look so obvious that its been cut.
I'm glad this forum is able to help you out. For a bit more interesting, light reading, and info, visit http://www.bromeliad.com/
Your plant makes a good indoor plant if you don't have a shady, protected spot outdoors.
Hopefully it will start to look a bit better soon, and produce pups for you.
The red raspberry part is the flower stem, although the colour is, (as johntique says) colourful bracts, and the flower is a tiny insignificant little thing that you may or may not see. It doesn't look too bad in the pic, but you can probly cut the brown edges from the flower stem also. Take your time to keep it neat!
Give us an update on how you go.
Sue
p.s
Another Guzmania
Sue, thanks so much for the advice. I will attempt to cut the leaves close to shape & flower part too. It's definitely staying in the shade. I have shade on my patio. I wonder if it will do better outside, (gets pretty warm here in East Texas) or if I should leave it as an indoor. I'd rather have it ouside.
They don't mind warmth/heat, being from tropical climates. Your patio in the shade sounds ideal! Try checking it once a week for moisture, and water it when the soil is dryish. Of course if the days are REALLY hot, it may dry out faster, so use your own judgement. They really are easy plants once you've got the gist of them.
I hope we've been of real help to you and your Guzzy!
Sue
pic is Perons tree frog in an Alcantarea imperialis
Thanks weed and everyone! Just a quick update....I trimmed it up a bit & am still letting it dry out. It must have gotten too much rain and w/my over-watering....poor soggy guzzy! Well at least it has a name! But, hey, even though soil is damp...I should still keep water in the actual base of the plant?
Yup!
Aechmea calyculata coming into flower. This one forms a nice clump fairly fast and flowers every year in Autumn.
A Brom I'm off to ID
And another, which I thought was a clump of Aechmea gamosepala, and it looks now like its a Bilbergia of some sort, so I'll try and Id it too!
If anyone out there knows some of my unnamed varieties, feel free to input! Just let me know the post number so i can match it.
Another pic of the previous Brom.
Hi Sue. Been a while. How's things? That is a nice brom the last one. They all are really.
I am new to them but it didn't take long to get sold. Here is one of my Billbergias.
I've been trying to decide which of yours I like most, but can't. You have an awesome collection there.
This message was edited Apr 15, 2008 4:54 AM
Thanks Ian. How are you? What a great picture! Your brom looks like a Bilbergia pyramidalis. Do you have it as a potted specimen or in the garden? Aren't they beautiful? I just wish they'd flower alot longer! My Mum in Lithgow, bought one at a market in luddenham and is going to try it up there. I don't think it'll stand a chance in the snow and frost, but she'll put it indoors no doubt! Heres mine almost finished. I had to take pics to show Mum, as hers had finished flowering before she bought it
This message was edited Apr 16, 2008 8:14 PM
Hey. Yours look a little healthier, perhaps because of the better climate up there. I am impressed with the ones I have but can't claim any credit. They were given to me not so long ago & decided to flower all of a sudden. They are in the ground, partly in shade.
The only thing I can same about broms from my limited experience is that they are good value. Small effort, big return flower-wise. I will be getting more in future for sure & would recommend them to anyone.
I think I like your "Predator" best but that's at a pinch. All the variegated ones you have are real nice. I never realised your mum was in Lithgow. Orange is my home town so I know it & its freezing temperatures all too well.
Ian
Brrrrr. Yeah. I hate visiting in Winter! You can sit in front of the fire and still be cold! I lived at Katoomba for wahile and also Penrith, but am glad to be now on the mid north coast!
Yes, Broms are very easy once you get the aspect and soil right. All like a free draining mix, but its a trial and error to get the light right!
I too, like the variegated ones the best, and am very partial to the Neos. My friend up the road, like flowering Broms only, and then only in yellow or red, NOT ORANGE, but yellow or red! Go figure! I like foliage colour in my garden and am seeking out bold reds and golds, and things that can go in the full sun, as I have plans for a dry climate garden, and some Broms will do quite well given the right soil and a tank top up now and then.
I must admit, I am spending all my allowance on Broms!, But at least I'm not out P*&sing it up the wall! Also, If i get enough pups off them in the future, I can make my money back 10 fold. (I hope)
My rule with broms, is to throw them in the shade, and go from there.
OK. They like to catch the leaves from the trees above, is that right? They are fairly expensive I've noticed but suppose most nice plants are. At least that will make them easier to sell later. Mine have a lot of pups because they had been left for years in large pots on concrete. They actually burst out of them & started overflowing in a sort of chain of pups all connected to each other. Quite amazing survivors they are.
Ian
Hi, my brom (guzmania?) is hurting pretty badly! Since cutting the dead leaves off, they all got worse, except for the 3 longest leaves. The bright red-plum color is gone except for 1 inch on one leaf. And I don't know whether to trash it or keep holding on!? Michelle
Well you might as well hold on, since you've come this far. Just place it in the shade and ignore it! Maybe it will come good, or maybe not, and maybe there is someone in the USA kind enough to send you a replacement. If I could, I would!
Without seeing it, its hard to know how far gone it really is. your last pics of it didn't look too bad, and it's only been 10 days, so if it's gone down hill so quickly, it just might be done for! But hang on anyway! Does it have any growth around the bottom that may be new pups?
This message was edited Apr 19, 2008 6:15 PM
Unfortunately no, weed. Just dry, dead, curled up leaves. I'll give it another week or so & then I have to get rid of it. Looks terrible! Michelle
Hope it survives Michelle. Sorry I'm no help. I can't resist checking out all these bromeliads again. There are so many beauties. I changed my mind Sue & like Aechmea Nudicaulis best now. Especially after seeing Mellie's picture with its flower. Your dry climate garden will be amazing.
It may take more than another week to live or die. Just set it somewhere & see what happens. Don't toss it just yet.....
Really? I gotta take a pic of this....thing!! Michelle
Thanks for the thread. Really enjoyed seeing your garden and pics.
Thanks gessiegail. I'm glad you enjoyed the thread.
Sue
You are welcome!!!
Neos "Shelldancer" and "Little Prince" are settling in. It looks as though i have got the aspect right.
Quesnelia liboniana
I was trying to ID this one and thought it was a Bilbergia, but while surfing the net, I came accross a picture of something similar, and it was a Quesnelia, so I searched the FBS database and found it!
I bought myself a birthday present ! I got three Aechmeas for $8.95 each! In flower!
This one was unnamed, but I went through the FBS site (it took ages) and came up with Aechmea purpureorosea.
Do you think I'm right?
I also got Aechmea 'Dart' . I hung this one in a tree as the flower is pendulous.
This one is Aechmea 'Burgundy'. I now have about three burgundy leaved Aechmeas, that all have slight differences in the flower. I might plant them all together as a clump.
Broms make good cut flowers!
That looks real nice Sue. The bracts there with the pink & purple, what type are they?
Hi Ian, they are probly the most common of all the Broms, aechmea gamosepala, or Matchstick broms. They are flowering now and form a clump very quickly. I can send you some if you like.
Sue
Thanx Sue. I have one but I didn't know what it was. Inspired by your collection, I've gathered a few though nothing worth showing off. My favourites are an achmea recurvata & a little abromeitiella. I don't know what species the last one is but its nice & spiky.
I've never heard of the last one Ian. Post a pic for me if you can. I'd love to see it. The common Broms are often the best, as they are reliable flowers and produce many offsets! I love them all!