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Bromeliads
For BEGINNERS
Jully 07, 2017
By Kathy Peters/Victoria County Master Gardener
Edited by Charla Borchers Leon/Victoria County Master Gardener
This Billbergia bromeliad in Master Gardener Kathy Peters' landscape is very easy to grow and, therefore, recommended for beginners. It can be identified not only by its bright colors, but also by its funnel, tubular-shape rosette bloom. Its inflorescence in pendant shape usually lasts several weeks and is striking cascading over a hanging basket.
This Aechmea bromeliad is very happy in its outdoor setting in Goliad. A variety that has more than 250 species, it has brilliant bracts that come out of the center cup in the form of a spike with various blooms and/or rosettes. Similarly, it has either colorfully-banded and/or variegated foliage or silvery leaves that appear to be covered with scales.
Guzmania bromeliads are common in various colors including reds, oranges, yellow, maroon, purples and pinks as well as beautiful variegated mixes of several colors. They do well in interior locations such as homes or offices or in beds in atriums or malls. If placed outside, they usually do best in a partially shaded bed or in a container or on a porch protected from direct light. One plant can provide several pups from the main plant at a time.
Known for its beautiful center color leaves and symmetrical shape, the Neoregelia bromeliad appears to produce hidden blooms in the center cup with pups, when produced, very near the main mother plant. This tricolor bromeliad has grown from two pups of another plant in a pot on the backdoor steps of Master Gardener Charla Borchers Leon.
If healthy, colorful bromeliads with a low mortality rate grace your home and landscape, then this information is probably not for you; however, if you water, fertilize and generally love your bromeliads to death, maybe there is more to learn about them.
Short history
Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492. On his second voyage to the "New World" the following year, he landed in the West Indies and made another discovery: the pineapple plant, which is a member of the bromeliad family. He took it back to Spain and soon, pineapples were cultivated in greenhouses throughout Europe.
This hobby was costly and originally embraced only by the rich. Today, the pineapple or Ananas comosus is grown commercially from Hawaii to Mexico, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile and the Philippines.
In 1935, Mulford Foster of Orlando, Fla., made trips to South America searching for new bromeliads. He discovered and introduced more bromeliads than anyone in history, more than 200 species. It wasn't long before bromeliads were commonplace in American homes and landscapes.
This increased popularity led to the formation of the Bromeliad Society, which concentrates on identification and conservation of bromeliad species growing in endangered habitats.
In North America we have one "native" bromeliad, which most of us recognize: Spanish moss or Tillandsia usneoides.
Finding the perfect bromeliad
After the history lesson, you might be inspired to add a new bromeliad to your plant collection.
Local nurseries, garden centers, florists, grocery stores and online auction sites are some sources providing buyers with interesting choices.
What's in a name?
Before deciding on a bromeliad, narrow the field.
Among favorites are Billbergias, grown for beautiful, often pendulous blooms. They are easily propagated by dividing clumps of plants at maturity.
Another is the Neoregelia, famous for its colorful leaves and symmetric shape. Its blooms are insignificant by bromeliad standards and almost hidden in the center of the plant called the "cup." The Neoregelia mother plant produces pups or baby plants close to the main plant.
Guzmanias are those bromeliads often seen in interiorscapes such as shopping malls. Each produces a colorful center bloom with pups emerging near the main plant.
Another choice is Aechmea with its variety of colorful blooms. It also produces pups or
offshoots.
Most bromeliad blooms stay beautiful for a month or more. Many more bromeliad genera are grown, but these are readily available and adapt well to our South Texas growing conditions.
Name is key to care
A name often is the key to proper care because watering intervals, fertilizer, sunlight exposure and temperature variables are important for a happy bromeliad. Know as much about your new bromeliad as possible. Look for labels and ask questions.
If no label or name can be found, search the internet or library for photos to compare with the characteristics of your new plant.
Bromeliad care
Now is the perfect time to revisit the first sentence of this article. Words such as "mortality" and "death" are not welcome thoughts, but after blooming, mature bromeliads eventually die, often producing new plants to replace the original. To keep bromeliads healthy and long-lived, follow this guide:
Water. Rainwater is preferable. Water when top 2 inches of the soil is dry, about once a week during warm dry months, less often during colder wet months. One frequently asked question is whether or not to pour water in the cup, which is the center of the plant where new growth, either leaves or blooms, emerges. See suggestions on watering tips in South Texas with the accompanying information alongside this article.
Fertilizer. Add fertilizer once or twice a year during peak growing seasons, spring or early fall, using 13-13-13, liquid or pellet form, at one-fourth to one-half of the recommended application rate on the product container. Too much fertilizer results in long, green leaves and fewer blooms. Never fertilize directly on the plant in the cup or on leaves.
Potting soil. If a bromeliad needs repotting, utilizing a blend of one-third special orchid potting mix and two-thirds soilless mix works well. Good drainage is important.
Sunlight. Place new plants in indirect sunlight, moving to more sunlight if color fading is noticeable. Check the label if unsure.
Maintenance. Trim dead leaves and blooms to prevent disease.
Temperature. A range between 45 to 90 degrees is opportune. Provide protection if temperature dips below 45 degrees. If you are uncomfortable, your bromeliad will be suffering, too.
What could be simpler?
Bromeliads are easy to grow. They reward you with beautiful color. Isn't it time to add one to your home or landscape?
The Gardeners' Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an educational outreach of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension - Victoria County. Mail your questions in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901; or vcmga@vicad.com.
• WHEN: Noon-1 p.m. Monday
• WHERE: Dr. Pattie Dodson Public Health Center, 2805 N. Navarro St., Victoria
• Free to the public
• Bring your lunch
• "Year-Round Vegetable Gardening," presented by Victoria County Master Gardener Dick Nolen
• Normally water in cup of plant.
• Watering in cup can encourage mosquito larvae or crown rot.
• Replacing with fresh water about once a week helps control pests.
• Mist in cup/on leaves two to three times a week with rainwater in used, clean bottle.
• Pineapple plant is a member of the bromeliad family.
• Spanish/ball moss is only native bromeliad in North America.
• Offshoots or new plants are called "pups."
• Pups can be transplanted to grow into mature plants
• New plants should be in indirect sunlight; in light if color appears faded.
ph: 361-935-1556
nancyk