Bromeliads are popular as houseplants. They enchant with their exotic-looking flowers. Unfortunately, they only bloom once and then they die. What do you do when the bromeliad withers?

In a nutshell

  • Bromeliads only bloom once
  • colored bracts are perceived as flowers
  • Bromeliad flowers are small and inconspicuous
  • after flowering, the plants die
  • Extraction of offshoots and rearing of new plants possible

The bromeliad (Bromeliaceae)

More than 2500 different bromeliad species are known worldwide. The first specimens reached Europe as early as the 18th century. Bromeliads should not be missing in any home or office. They are considered effective air fresheners. Bromeliads are available in garden shops all year round in many magical varieties. The most popular varieties of bromeliad are:

  • aechmea
  • pineapple
  • Guzmania
  • Tillandsia
  • Vriesea

By the way, the exotic plants are perfect for anyone who doesn't have a green thumb. They are extremely easy to care for.

Care Tips:

  • Bromeliads need a bright spot in the window or on the balcony when the temperature is warm. Avoid direct sunlight.
  • Water the plant regularly in the center of the leaf rosette.
  • Spray the leaves occasionally with lukewarm water.
  • Fertilizers are not required.

The blossom

The part of the plant that we perceive as bromeliad flowers is not actually a flower. These are colored bracts. These enclose the real flowers, which are small and inconspicuous. You have to look closely and be quick to spot them. They only last a few days, then they fall off.
Interesting are the bracts, which are yellow, orange, violet, pink or white in colour. The bright colors are attractive to pollinating insects. Unfortunately, the exotic plant only enchants us once in its life with this play of colors. When the bromeliad withers, the short life of the plant comes to an end. She dies. First the bracts dry up, then the beautiful green leaves.

Caution, do not dispose of immediately!

Before you rashly dispose of the houseplant, you can gain offspring. At the base, under the leaves, the so-called children grow. The offshoots of different plant species are referred to as "Kindel". You can grow a new bromeliad from these mini plants and enjoy the houseplant with the extraordinary flowers again next year.

You can grow a new plant from the branches on the bromeliad.

manual

  1. Place the bromeliad in a semi-shady spot after it has finished flowering.
  2. Provide the plant with low-lime water as usual. Pour the water in the center of the rosette. As soon as there is no more water in the middle, it is time to refill.
  3. Keep the substrate moist with occasional spraying.
  4. Do not remove the bromeliad cuttings immediately after they have faded. Only when the offshoot is about half the size of the mother plant is it the right time to separate it. Use a sharp, clean knife and cut off the offshoot. 5. Place the mini bromeliads on paper towels overnight. This allows the wound to heal well.
  5. Put orchid soil or special bromeliad substrate in a bowl.
  6. Wear gloves because the sharp edges of the leaves can cause injury and allergic reactions.
  7. Plant the cuttings in the ground. The roots should be well covered. Separate the young plants after two to three months.
  8. Pour the bromeliads over the middle of the rosette. The soil should remain as dry as possible.
  9. Place the flower pot in a warm, bright spot on the windowsill. The young bromeliad must not be exposed to direct sunlight.

When the young plant flowers for the first time varies. Some bromeliads take several years to bloom and then die. Under good conditions, the houseplant forms its first flowers after just a few months.

Tip: Apples should never be stored near fresh fruits and vegetables because the ethylene they give off drives the ripening process. Apples are desirable around a bromeliad. The apples will speed up the formation of bromeliad flowers.

frequently asked Questions

Can you propagate bromeliads from seeds?

In nature, the seeds from the faded bromeliad flowers are dispersed by the wind. If you want to propagate the houseplant with seeds, you have to lay them out on potting soil, press them down lightly and keep them moist. If the seedlings are strong enough, you can separate them. Propagation by seeds requires constant temperatures. It is much easier, faster and with greater success to obtain young plants from the offshoots.

Can cutting back the dried bracts lead to the formation of a new flower?

Unfortunately, cutting back the bracts will have no effect once the bromeliad fades. The common method of stimulating plants to form new flowers does not work with bromeliads. Premature cutting back of the bromeliad flower can also lead to no children developing.

How should one wait until a scion can be separated?

About three to four weeks after the bromeliad has withered, the baby reaches about half the size of the mother plant. Then the best time to separate is reached.

Category:

Indoor plants