Bromeliads – General Info & Care

Basically natives of South America, the largest number of primitive species are found in Mexico, the Antilles, Costa Rica, eastern and southern Brazil, the Andes of Columbia, Peru and Chile. They thrive in the lowlands of the tropical forests and even in some higher regions (up to 4000 m) of Sierra Madre and the Andes. They were introduced to the world in the 19th century when breeders from Belgium, France and the Netherlands started hybridizing plants for wholesale trade. They regained popularity after World War II which has only increased in recent years.

Bromeliads are hardy plants and can be grown indoors as well as outdoors. They can be found braving the salt spray along seashores, and in the extreme heat and drought of deserts. Some thrive on the ground in the filtered, speckled light of the rain forest while others reach high in the tree tops as epiphytes, for plenty of light and air. They can grow at sea level and as high as 16,000 feet. Some are terrestrial and others are saxicolous (growing on rocks), but most of them grow in trees, epiphytically; they do not drain the host tree, but simply attach to the rough bark of the trunk or branches.

Bromeliads are very adaptable and most will respond very well to less than ideal conditions. But like most plants, bromeliads, too, need to adjust when moved to new surroundings. Extra care must be provided to a plant during this adjustment period to provide its critical environmental needs. In many cases this means extra water or misting of the plant. It could be a need for extra air movement or cooler temperatures.

Potting mix for bromeliads must have: enough substance to hold the plant firm and upright in the container, ability to retain moisture but enough drainage good aeration and to prevent root rotting.

Inorganic materials such as perlite, polystyrene or styrofoam pieces, coarse granite (turkey grit) or river gravel aid in maintaining the porosity of the mix as the organic materials decay.
Some of the organic materials used to provide good drainage include crushed pine bark, shredded tree fern, redwood wool, redwood bark, fine and/or medium fir bark, and cork. Coarse sand, potting soil, long fibre sphagnum moss and peat (Canadian or German) also have some water holding ability. Peat provides acidity to the soil mixture and bromeliads prefer a neutral to acid medium.

On average, there are as many mixes as there are growers. The mixtures used depend a lot on availability of the ingredients, their cost and the grower’s experience. We are currently using one part perlite to one part peat moss to form plugs when tissue culture plants are transplanted into seedling trays. Once the plugs are formed, we use one part 15mm pine bark and one part potting mix to plant the plugs into 100mm or 200mm pots so they grow into well developed plants. Complete care instructions for tissue culture plants will be provided with your shipment.

Water requirements for a plant depend a great deal on the type of potting mixture, humidity, light, temperature and air circulation of your growing environment. One also needs to consider the water requirements of the specific plant and whether it is being grown indoors or outdoors. A general rule of thumb is to ensure that you never allow the ‘cup’ in your bromeliad rosette to dry out. When the bromeliad cup is dry, it indicates that the plant has absorbed all the water, causing any salts or residual fertilizer to concentrate in the cup. This could damage the center of the plant and/or burn the leaf edges near the base of the plant. Rain water is certainly best when available. Bromeliads grown outdoors have reduced watering requirements as rainwater as moisture in the surrounding air provides the ideal humidity required for most bromeliads. If you use city water containing excessive salts, flushing of the plant periodically will reduce the chances of salt damage. If you are growing indoors you need to mist the plant twice a week in addition to your watering in order to prevent drying of the leaves due to low humidity.

Light is extremely important in for bromeliads to achieve their maximum potential with respect to appearance. We have learned a lot about the light requirements of various genera by studying their native habitats and from our own growing experiences. The beauty in most of the genera will be enhanced by providing them with more light than they would receive naturally. Most plants with brightly coloured foliage require some strong light to maintain their brilliance. Early morning and late afternoon sun is best, and the plants would do well with some filter (shadecloth, shading net) when the sun is at its peak.

It is recommended that plants with colourful foliage being grown indoors be rotated every two weeks so as to receive enough adequate sunlight.

Most bromeliads grew as epiphytes in their original habitat. They are naturally accustomed to good air movement and have commonly been referred to as air plants. While most will thrive for a while in a confined area indoors, their best potential will only be achieved with good air circulation.

Usually, a small amount of osmocote (slow release fertiliser) in the plants growing media is sufficient to produce a healthy appearance. Plants with beautiful inflorescences will usually benefit from regular feedings, with will be larger and more attractive inflorescence. Fertilizing will also stimulate better propagation of all bromeliads. Instructions are provided with your shipment.