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lunarawolf

Bromeliad Care

LunaraWolf
10 years ago

I recently bought a Bromeliad, my very first. When i bought it, all of the purple stem thingy (I think it's called the Bract?) was a deep purple, and was starting to get some yellow and green flowers between the sections. Recently I've noticed the tips of the purples leaves have started going brown, and some of the flowers going brown and soft before blooming. I will post another picture next with a closer view of the browning tips.

As you can tell, I'm not very knowledgeable about this new plant of mine, so any help is appreciated. I have been keeping the tank filled with rainwater, and I spray the leaves in the mornings. It has one pup forming and another just barely getting started off the momma.

My concern is obviously the browning tips, but also, I've had this plant for three weeks, and it hasn't seemed to open up at all.

Comments (8)

  • LunaraWolf
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Ignore the poor quality, best photo I could get was with the flash on.

    On the bottom left section, you can see one of the little yellow flowers with the green ends. That's how all the flowers looked, and now on the top and right sections they have started turning brown and mushy.

    It's not a better photo, just closer up to see the browning tips.

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    10 years ago

    Hithere! There are probably plenty of visitors to this forum who are quite familiar with this type of plant and will have expert advice to offer, but there is a whole forum dedicated to them, if you'd care to check it out. That's pretty!

    What kind of light do you have for it?

  • LunaraWolf
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I found the right forum, thanks!

    I have it in a south facing window. Several hours of indirect light, and a few hours of direct light.

  • plantastic
    10 years ago

    The bracts do eventually get old and die. The green leaves will remain. Keep water in them. the plant may sprout a baby in the fullness of time.

  • LunaraWolf
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I thought the bract was supposed to open up?

    It already has one pup formed and a second just getting started.

  • plantomaniac08
    10 years ago

    LunaraWolf,
    I don't believe you have anything to worry about. I believe the bract has done what it's supposed to do (in that the flowers have appeared) and it has fulfilled it's purpose. It looks like it's beginning to die now, as they will do after flowering.

    You stated that you already have some pups forming, so it'll be a matter of time before the "Mother" plant dies and the babies take her place (I think that can take a long time... I gave my Mother one of these on clearance months ago. It now has six pups and the "Mother" plant still looks strong). I think I read somewhere it could even be a year or more (even two?) before she dies!

    I'm not sure about the proper lighting, mine burned with too much direct sun (granted, this was outdoors; as I said, I don't know about the lighting).

    I did read to keep the "cup" where your bract is coming from full of water at all times. Don't worry about repotting it, as they don't use their roots as normal plants would (they use them more for the purpose of anchoring themselves to trees). Also, on that note, when you water the "cup," excess water may spill into the soil, that's ok (that's the only watering the soil needs, don't water the soil otherwise). I don't believe that pot that yours came in drains (looks like a cache pot), so be sure to allow any excess water to drain before placing it back in there as the roots it does have, will rot and you will lose the plant.

    I did a little bit of research before I gave it to my Mom, that's what I came up with. I just couldn't keep it, our patio lights up too much in the summer and it would have continued to burn.

    I hope this helps!

    Planto

  • LunaraWolf
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    The pot it is in is sitting inside of another pot, Kind of like how my Orchids are. So it does have a way to drain water and keep the humidity up on it. I keep the tank full with rainwater and don't really bother with the soil.

    It's getting the right amount of light since it doesn't seem to be burning at all and it's not in very direct light for very long each day.

    As long as it's healthy, I'm happy. I was just expecting the bracts to open up more. With two pups forming and the bract having supposedly done it's job, should I just cut the bract off so the mother can focus on her pups?

  • plantomaniac08
    10 years ago

    LunaraWolf,
    It sounds like you're doing everything right then. I don't think it would hurt cutting the bract off. The reason the bromeliad I got was on clearance was because the bract was halfway broken off. I ended up cutting it off completely when I got home (it had the same bract as yours does, but it was red). I guess it helped with the pups, as she now has six (I didn't see any when I bought her). If you can grow orchids, I believe you'll have no issues with a Brom, haha.

    Planto

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