Hello Bromsters,
I have a nice bromeliad (weedwoman ID-d it on the ID forum as "Bilbergia 'Muriel Waterman', or Bilbergia 'Alii'"). It had lived and flowered for 3 years but now I fear it is dying.
This is the way it looked in the first year it bloomed. You can also see the first new pup growing from the side.
This was the last flower which bloomed this spring.
This is the current situation. The dried up flower is still visible. The leaves of the older and oldest plant are beginning to lose coloration and no new pups can be seen. So my question is - is this plant dying? If yes, any ideas as to why? Can it be saved?
Thanks
Bromeliads are terminal bloomers (my term). By this I mean the when it's "time" for the plant to bloom, the active growing point changes from vegatative form to flowering form. Most all Bromeliads are apical dominant, that is the actively growing meristem inhibits the dormant buds that are present in the lower leaf axils from growing. Once the main growing bud blooms, the other buds are now free to grow, and there you have the pups. Some Bromeliads, like Billbergias, are much less apical dominant, and form pups long before the main plant flowers. Others, like the giant Puya raimondii don't produce any pups at all.
Well, this is a long answer to a simple question. I think your plant is OK. Once the plant flowers, that "stem" is finished and can no longer produce vegatative growth. I have seen pups finally begin to grow long after I gave up on some plants. You have nearly perfect growing conditions in San Diego, with the exception of rain. Water quality can really affect plant health and municipal water, while wonderful and safe to drink, isn't always the greatest for our epiphytic Bromeliads. I'd suggest you get your water supplier to give you an analysis of the water. See how much hardness you have and any high levels of metals like manganese or iron. Reverse osmosis systems have come down in price dramatically and produce very pure water at reasonable cost.
Of course, you may not have to do anything. Just wait a while and you may well see new pups. Muriel Waterman is a great old hydrid and a strong grower.
GL,
Dave
Well, thanks for the detailed answer.
I was fearing the worst because on previous occasions while one plant was flowering, another was already growing from the base of it (see first picture) and this time long after the flower wilted, no signs of new growth can be seen. So I'll just keep waiting.
Maybe I should give it some fertilizer?
We have very hard water but it did not seem to bother the plant before. I mist my bromeliads daily.
Greetings Nomo ...........
Billbergias are heavy feeders; the surest way to spur pup production is to feed the host. I use Osmocote 14-14-14 which is sold as vegetable & bedding plant food. I have never had a Billbergia expire without leaving some pups. I use a level teaspoonful at the base of each plant - and I feed again in about 6 months. Unlike Neoregelias - feeding does not seem to affect the color of Billies.
John
You mean outside the plant, I presume, not inside the tank, right?
BTW I was recently in Miami and went to the botanical garden whose name I forget now, not too far from downtown, and I saw bromeliads out in the open on the top of a rock, under the blazing sun. I used to think that these plants are at least semishade lovers but it seems I was wrong. I got a large piece of lava rock and drilled holes into it, put some bromeliad pups into the holes and put the thing out where it gets no shade. So far they seem a bit unwilling to grow and one got some sun damage but so far they are still alive.
Anyway, thanks for the reply.
Greetings Nomo ...............
Never get the food in in the well of the plant ........... only on the soil in which it's planted. Plant food in the well will kill them!
Some species will take full sun - but most will not. For those that will tolerate full sun ........... you must gradually acclimate them to it. All of mine receive full sun during the winter months - but as spring advances I move them under shade cloth because the sun becomes too intense as summer progresses.
What you saw at the garden was probably some sort of a "Fireball" hybrid - which is a sun tolerant highly stoloniferous variety which sends out lots of "runners" (stolons) that eventually cover the growing space with more plants. Do you know the specie of the brom you are dealing with?
John
I found the picture I took of these bromeliads. The name of the place was Fairchild Botanical Garden, it is in Coral Gables. Here is the stone with the bromeliads, sitting in the middle of a large lawn, not a shade in sight.
John was on the money. The red ones are Neoregelias, and probably 'Fireball' or a hybrid of. The other is an Aechmea, maybe A. 'Bert' or A. orlandiana? I'm sure John will set me straight. LOL
Did you use the same type on your rock?
I must admit I don't know the names of most of my bromeliads, the reason why I joined DG is to learn. I wonder if anyone can identify my plants from this picture.
So this is my feeble attempt to recreate the situation. As you can see I am of a brute force gardener: "If it survives, it worked".
The three on the bottom are all Neoregelias that like strong light. Left and right look like they have some Neo. carolinae "tricolor" in their parentage. I'll take a wild guess at the top plant as Vriesea platynema. Unlike the Neos, it prefers shade. I'd move it away from the Neos and be sure it gets some rain warer (if possible) in the cup. The plant on the left is probably a Dyckia, though there are many that look alike. They are terrestrial and like larger pots than the typical epiphytic Bromeliad.
Dave.
I agree on the one at the back being a Vriesea, and the two variegated ones probly don't like alot of sun either.
Usually, if the plant has a reddish tinge and fairly thick leaves, it will cope with sun, but still they must be introduced to it slowly. I get my plants established in a pot, (or on a stone/log/mount) in shade, then place in morning sun in Autumn, gradually moving into full sun for winter, then back to morning sun for summer.
There are some real stunners out there Nomo! Neos (I think) are the best for foliage colour. Google "Neoregelia" images and take a look!
Sue
