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Bromeliad

Plant care guide

How to care for Bromeliad

Aechmea fasciata and Tillandsia cyanea (syn. Wallisia cyanea)

Care level: Easy

Bromeliads bring a tropical look with long-lasting, sculptural blooms: the silver vase has a bright pink flower head above banded silver leaves, while the pink quill sends up a flat pink paddle with violet flowers. The colorful bract can last for months, and each plant then makes pups to carry on.

Also known as: Bromeliad, Silver Vase Plant, Urn Plant, Aechmea, Aechmea fasciata, Pink Quill, Pink Quill Plant, Tillandsia cyanea, Wallisia cyanea

Just arrived? Your first week at home

  1. Unbox right away and stand the plant upright in bright, indirect light, such as near an east window.
  2. For the silver vase, check the central cup and add a little water if it is empty; for the pink quill, water the soil lightly only if it is dry.
  3. Leave it in its nursery pot; bromeliads have small roots and rarely need a bigger pot.
  4. A bent leaf tip or slightly faded bloom edge after shipping is normal.
  5. Keep it away from heating vents and cold drafts.

Every plant is covered by our 30-day plant health guarantee. If your plant arrived damaged or isn't doing well, email a few photos to support@rootandreachbotanicals.com and we'll help you troubleshoot or make it right.

Light

Bright, indirect light keeps the blooms colorful, such as near an east window or a few feet from a south or west window. Silver vase can handle some gentle morning sun; pink quill prefers filtered light. Too much direct sun can bleach or scorch the leaves.

Water

For the silver vase, keep the central cup about a quarter full with fresh water, emptying and refilling it every week or two, and water the soil lightly when it is dry. For the pink quill, water the soil when the top inch is dry, roughly once a week, and mist the leaves occasionally. Brown, crispy leaf tips mean it is too dry; a mushy base or a foul smell from the cup means stagnant water or overwatering.

Humidity

Moderate humidity, around 50 percent, is ideal. Pink quill especially appreciates a light misting or a pebble tray in dry homes.

Temperature

Keep them between 60 and 80 F. Avoid temperatures below 55 F.

Soil & repotting

Use a very fast-draining mix, such as orchid bark mix or a bromeliad blend. They have small roots and rarely need repotting. When pups form, you can move them into their own small pots.

Feeding

Feed lightly once a month in spring and summer with a quarter-strength liquid fertilizer, applied to the soil or leaves, not the central cup. They need very little fertilizer.

Troubleshooting common problems

  • Mother plant slowly fading after bloomthis is the normal life cycle; each rosette blooms once, then produces pups before declining.
  • Rotting centerstagnant water in the cup or soggy soil; flush the cup regularly and let soil dry between waterings.
  • Brown leaf tipsdry air, hard water, or underwatering; use filtered or rain water and raise humidity.
  • Faded bloom colortoo little light; move it brighter.
  • Pink quill flowers not appearingneeds brighter indirect light; the violet flowers open one or two at a time along the paddle edges.

Tips to help it thrive

  • When pups reach about a third of the mother plant's size, separate them with roots attached and pot them up.
  • Use rain, distilled, or filtered water in the silver vase cup to avoid mineral buildup.
  • Keep the old mother plant until the pups are established; it feeds them as it fades.

Pet safety

Bromeliad isn't specifically named in the ASPCA's plant database, and it isn't known to be toxic. As with any houseplant, keep it out of reach of pets that like to chew.

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