Want to know How to Get a Bromeliad to Flower? Read the simple tips and witness colorful blooms on this tropical plant.
Bromeliads are popular houseplants that are loved for their beautiful appearance and low demands. But do you know this plant flower too? Well, bromeliad blooms just once in its lifetime, and reblooming isn’t possible, but offsets of bromeliad can flower. Find how you can force this plant to blossom in this post.
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Do Bromeliads Flower
Yes, bromeliad bloom once in its life except some species. The flower last to months or up to a year.
Will Bromeliad Bloom Again?
Bromeliads are epiphyte plants that cling to surfaces like trees, rocks, or even concrete using their roots. In places like forests, you might see epiphytic bromeliads hanging from trees. They have colorful flowers surrounded by thick leaves. Once a bromeliad blooms, it won’t bloom again. Bromeliads grow in a circular shape with a cup in the middle that collects water and nutrients. Their roots mainly help them stick onto surfaces and don’t absorb much. Rainwater, bugs, and other bits fall into the cup, providing minerals. Bromeliads grow by adding new leaves at the center, but this stops after they bloom. Instead, they grow new plants from the base.
Bromeliad Flower Life Span: How Long Do They Last?
The bromeliad flower can last from 3 weeks to 1-2 months, according to the variety, growing conditions, and species.
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How to Get a Bromeliad to Bloom
- With some nurturing attention, even if the mature bromeliad fails to bloom, its pups or offsets will eventually blossom.
- Bromeliad pups require their separate pots and some boost. Divide the offsets from the parent plant using a clean, sharp knife from the base.
- Keep the offset to sit on the counter for 24 hours or more to callus before propagation. Use well-draining soil for planting.
- Regularly fill the center of the bromeliad with water. Additionally, apply diluted seaweed or diluted compost tea every two weeks. This routine will boost the growth and development of the young bromeliad, preparing it to flower.
- Do remember only mature plants will bloom, so be patient when expecting blooms from bromeliad pups.
How to Force a Bromeliad to Bloom Early
Though reblooming in mature bromeliad doesn’t work, you can follow the given tips to speed up the flowering in young offsets.
Ethylene Exposure
Forcing a bromeliad to flower needs an optimal environment. Clear the central depression of the plant and enclose it within a big plastic bag along with a piece of apple, kiwi, or banana. These fruits release ethylene gas, which stimulates flowering in the plant.
Epsom Salt
Apply some dissolved Epsom salts to the cup once per month to boost both chlorophyll production and flower formation.
Control the Lights
Keep your bromeliad in a dark area, such as in a bag or cardboard box, for up to 10 days. Surprisingly, the bromeliad will flower in 6-10 weeks. The science behind this trick is bromeliads are sensitive to photoperiod changes; this condition prank them thinking it’s time to flower.
Change in Temperature
When forcing a bromeliad to flower, consistent temperatures are not good at all. Keeping the plant at a lower nighttime temperature (up to 5-10 F) for a couple of weeks will imitate the native conditions of the plant. This alarms the plant to bloom.
