| Description | A group of Bromeliads that are a little more difficult to grow, but well worth the effort. |
|---|---|
| Plant Type | All Plants, Indoor Foliage |
| Hardiness Zone | 10-11 |
| Sunlight | bright to moderate |
| Moisture | water this plant both from the top and directly to the potting media, requires above average humidity. |
| Growing Media | average house, epiphytic mix |
| Temperature | prefers warm tolerates average house |
| Flowers | The flower spike is long lasting. Most of what we call the flower is really bracts. The flowers are small, white, yellow or red and are tucked in among the bracts. To get the plant to re-flower it must be healthy and mature. Put in a plastic bag with a ripe fruit for around 3-4 days. Wait two months, if this doesn't work try again. It may take a year or two before the plant reaches blooming size. Guzmania prefers smaller pots to help produce flowers. |
| Leaves | leathery leaves that radiate out forming a vase, the leaves lack spines on the edges |
| Maintenance | After the mother plant flowers it will slowly die and be replaced by a new sucker from the base. Wait until it starts to deteriorate before removal. At this time it can be divided. |
| Propagation | division |
| Native Site | There are 5 different varieties and they all come from different rain forest regions of Central and South America. Guzmania grows both as a terrestrial and epiphytic plant. |
| Misc Facts | Guzmania grows both as a terrestrial and epiphytic plant. Guzmania are monocarpic meaning that once they flower the mother plant will die. |
| Author's Notes | We have taken Guzmania and attached them to a board with out the plant being in potting soil and they grew. This was in a greenhouse where we could water with out making a mess and the humidity was high. |
| Notes & Reference | #02-Exotic Plant Manual (Alfred Byrd Graf), #18-Houseplant Encyclopedia (Nico Vermeulen) |
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