Another thing to note is that bromeliad plants are especially sensitive to metal. Give the bromeliad more lighting, if possible, and move it to the brightest spot in a warm room. The best way to remove a bromeliad flower is to use a blade that is very sharp. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. To prevent rot, do not plant bromeliads in regular garden soil; only use mixes specifically made for bromeliads. It used to be a bright yellow but is now dull yellow/green with brown edges. Put the fertilizer around the base of the plant to get the best results. A sickly brown plant may be suffering from a fungal disease. This isn’t something that you need to do often but when you do use fertilizer, it’s best to use one that is water-soluble. Pups pop up around the base of a bromeliad plant. If you’re going to take care of these new pups, then you’ll need to know what you’re doing. Give your bromeliad plant the right level of care so that you can keep on appreciating its beauty as long as possible. I watered by putting the pot in another pot of an inch or so water. If the mother plant is starting to turn brown, you can either cut it all the way down or leave it as is. When the bloom has been removed, you’re going to be able to dispose of it how you see fit. Don't expose it to direct sun. Many bromeliads have a rosette of leaves that overlap to form a tank in the center of the plant. For example, fertilizer can change the colors of the plant and will negatively impact its overall beauty. After they bloom they turn their energy into producing the next generation of plants, offsets called pups. What should I do? This is just a natural part of the life cycle of the plant that you have to get used to. Bromeliad blooms have a lifespan and you aren’t going to be able to keep a bromeliad flower going indefinitely. Two properties I worked in stand out. Once the bract’s color starts to fade or turn brown, it means that the plant is done blooming and has begun to die. Once they are big enough, it is time to remove the bromeliad pups. Despite their variety, bromeliads share many similar care requirements. But, before you throw away the whole plant, check the base to see if there are any pups growing. Fill … That means tolerating a dying parent plant whose leaves will yellow and eventually turn brown. Use containers that drain … Some people leave it in case the mother produces more pups but I’ve never done this. If the leaf tips and margins are brown, the plant may be suffering from a lack of humidity. Lighting conditions. Flowers also need to be cut off as soon as they turn brown or die off. Pruning helps the mother plant produce new pups which can be grown into new bromeliads. It’s also going to be good to understand what you can do to care for bromeliad plants properly. Hardiness varies depending on species, with many only growing in frost-free conditions. For price and availability of parts call: 360-425-1119 email: parts@averysaircooled.com Keep reading for important tips about caring for bromeliad plants. Happy planting! Learning how to properly take care of bromeliad plants should set your mind at ease. If you don’t take this precaution, then your bromeliad plant could wind up dying or having other complications. Eventually, your original bromeliad plant is going to die off. Unless this is a frequent problem, I would not worry about the occasional mature leaf turning … Place a ripe apple or two in the plant's pot and cover the plant with a clear plastic bag. Your bromeliad plant is going to produce pups now and you’re going to want to care for it as well as you can during this time. Here’s how to soak-water your Bromeliad: Watering bromeliad plants is actually pretty easy because they’re designed to go through drought periods. I’ll share what I learn as I develop my green thumb. If necessary, you can trim back the parent plant’s leaves allowing more room for the pups to grow. Bromeliads bloom once and then begin their cycle of dying, which can take up to two years before the mother plant finally turns completely brown and … The Practical Planter is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Just another site. Posted on January 12, 2021 by January 12, 2021 by New pups, however, can be cut from the parent plant and potted, and they will eventually produce their own flowers. For this reason, you should always water them using a container that isn’t made out of metal. Most people choose to keep bromeliad plants indoors anyway but it’s important to make this distinction for someone who might be new to these plants. Cutting off the browning flower allows your plant to focus on giving energy to the new pups. Bromeliads are very sensitive to copper. They come in a beautiful array of colors and foliage; they reproduce on their own, growing cute little baby bromeliads right in their very pots; and they will basically live forever with relatively low maintenance. Once your bromeliad flower has started to turn brown, the best thing to do is to go ahead and cut it off. Once the plant starts dying, there is nothing you can do to save it. Almost all bromeliads bloom only once. When you’re keeping bromeliad plants indoors, it’s going to be ideal to keep them near a window but away from direct sunlight. You’re just going to watch them die and they likely won’t live long enough to produce pups. Michelle Wishhart is a writer based in Portland, Ore. She has been writing professionally since 2005, starting with her position as a staff arts writer for City on a Hill Press, an alternative weekly newspaper in Santa Cruz, Calif. An avid gardener, Wishhart worked as a Wholesale Nursery Grower at Encinal Nursery for two years. Light brown spots will also appear on the leaves. Some might throw it away while others might use it as compost. These flowers are long-lasting but they will eventually turn brown and die. That means tolerating a dying parent plant whose leaves will yellow and eventually brown. You can also take steps such as misting the plant semi-regularly to keep the area’s humidity levels up. It’s a cycle-of-life thing that you have to accept if you’re going to grow bromeliads in your home or outdoors in your garden area. A sickly brown plant may be suffering from a fungal disease. Well, it might sound harsh, but once your bromeliad bloom has begun to die, you can cut it off! You just want to ensure that you’re watering them when at least the top two inches of soil are dry. I have worked with many unusual plants in my career, but Bromeliads are extraordinarily resilient but equally temperamental. What does it mean when this happens and is it related to something that you did wrong? Excessive light can scorch the plant, causing brown spots and patches. The Practical Planter also participates in programs from ShareASale and other sites and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. Do not panic as this is a normal life cycle for a Bromeliad. Cryptanthus Bromeliads have some rather specific care requirements, but these are not too difficult to figure out if we look at the natural growing environment. The leaf tips are turning brown. A pup is the offset of another bromeliad plant. You can solve potential humidity issues by placing a humidifier near your bromeliad plant. Wishhart holds a Bachelor of Arts in fine arts and English literature from the University of California, Santa Cruz. It’s important to understand that bromeliads need to be in a tropical climate if you’re going to be keeping them outdoors. Keep daytime temperatures between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, 60 to 65 degrees overnight. Once your bromeliad flower has started to turn brown, the best thing to do is to go ahead and cut it off. Actually, this is simply a sign that a bromeliad bloom has begun to die. Your focus should shift over to nurturing this new generation of bromeliads for your garden. You want to try to cut the flower cleanly and as close to the plant as possible.