Bromeliads are addictive – I have hundreds now and can’t stop collecting. Seeds will take about 3 years to reach full maturity, so this method requires more patience than propagating by pups. Cut the pup as far down as you can, even below the surface of the soil. Starting Bromeliads from Seed. Box 70 Kilcoy QLD 4515 Australia | PH: (07) 5422 3090 | FAX: (07) 5497 2287, This error message is only visible to WordPress admins, FREE eCookbook: Easy recipes for High Tea from the garden, Protecting gardens from drought or flooding in Australia, Create the best potted plant combinations, Planting and growing bromeliads – bromeliad types, Mexican quinoa salad with lime chilli dressing, How to protect vegetables from chewing insects. Bromeliads are a family of tropical plants known for their lush, vibrant foliage. Bromeliads. Feb 24, 2017 - Comprised of mainly tank-type epiphytes, Vriesea was transplanted to the U.S. from coastal Brazil. I have worked with these garden beauties over the years and to be honest with you bromeliads are worth the investment. Bromeliads love to grow on rough, acidic surfaces, making trees, logs, and driftwood ideal to mount to. Bromeliads or Bromeliad Plants (family Bromeliaceae, commonly known as Pineapple Family), need very little care to survive.With a few considerations, these showy plants will thrive in USDA hardiness zones 10 and 11. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful (and bountiful) garden ever. Best of all they are really easy to propagate, meaning you won't have to invest too much of your hard earned dollars to have that tropical paradise you've always wanted! Transform it into something special by attaching a host of bromeliads to the trunk. Be mindful of the weather. Bromeliads do best in Zone 10. Bromeliad Propagation. You can also sexually reproduce bromeliads from seed by crossing two plants, collecting seed and sprouting them. Bromeliads love to grow on rough, acidic surfaces, making trees, logs, and driftwood ideal to mount to. With the right amount of light and water and well-drained soil, these Pineapple Family members will produce colorful, lush leaves and bright, spectacular flowers. Related Videos. © About The Garden Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved | P.O. Bromeliads can be propagated in two ways: by seed (sexual reproduction) or vegetatively (asexual reproduction) which occurs when a bromeliad plant produces pups that can be separated to form individual new plants. How to Care for Bromeliads Easy As! Some are epiphytes, meaning they grow naturally on the bark of trees, rather than in the ground. In order to propagate a plant from offshoots, remove the pups when they are a quarter to one-half the size of the parent, depending on the variety. Seeds will take about 3 years to reach full maturity, so this method requires more patience than propagating by pups. May 15, 2017 - Explore Linda Rogers's board "Bromeliads attached to tree" on Pinterest. Propagation. In order to propagate a plant from offshoots, remove the pups when they are a quarter to one-half the size of the parent, depending on the variety. You need to let them grow to a fairly good size, … Wait until the offsets begin to look like the parent plant (with a leaf cup and roots) before slicing them off with a sterile knife, or cut away the dead parent plant and leave the offsets in the original pot. How to plant and grow bromeliad The amount of sunlight required varies with species, and also within the species group, so check the label. 2. A young bromeliad should flower within two to three years, but some species of bromeliads can take up to six years to flower, so you'll need to have some patience and enjoy their foliage in the meantime. Bromeliads grow best in bright, indirect light, both indoors and out. Bromeliad ‘pups’ are the young offspring of the bromeliad which can be found sprouting along the base of the parent plant, usually at different times throughout the year. The best soil to use for bromeliads is a barky airy mix, such as The Espoma Company’s Organic Orchid Mix, that’s full of nutrients. Even though it is possible to grow Neoregelia from seed, it is really much easier to simply divide the plants. Bromeliads are very easy to grow in the garden and make wonderful … Bromeliads also self-propagate by producing seeds. If you keep your bromeliads indoors, water their central cups or keep the potting soil barely moist. whose form and color vary widely among each variety. Over a few years, one bromeliad can turn into a whole garden of bromeliads. Most pups will take about 2 years to produce a bloom. The lovely plant is not a total loss, since it will undoubtedly send up at least a few offshoots, or pups, from its base. See more ideas about bromeliads, plants, air plants. And as most are epiphytes, growing harmlessly on other plants, they’re also waterwise, which is a requirement that most gardeners look for in a plant. The wide leaves are sword shaped or scoop-like and grow around a central “cup.” This cup catches water in the plant’s habitat. Fertilizing: Bromeliads aren’t fussy & don’t need much if any fertilizing. Whether your a gardening novice or veteran, we can keep you informed Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring on what to grow now. A basic idea is to use them on palms or other tall trees that have bare trunks. Propagation: Some bromeliads die after they flower, but they send out offsets (or “pups”) that can be potted to propagate the plant. Don't worry if the pup hasn't developed roots yet—bromeliads are epiphytes, which means their roots are only for holding and securing the plant. Keep seedlings moist, warm and preferably covered. Most bromeliads produce offsets (called pups) from the … Bromeliads are spectacular easy care plants. As the majority of bromeliad species are from warm regions, most varieties require a warm and sheltered aspect. ", The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. This is a difficult process, however, and takes much longer than asexual reproduction. Discover some of our Brom secrets right here in this 5 minute video. These bracts, which actually contain the bromeliad's small flowers, last for a long time, sometimes months, before slowly fading and dying.. Bromeliads are members of the Bromeliaceae plant family. It’s not hard to convince you that bromeliads are fantastic plants. The second method is by far the easiest way for most of us to propagate … If you grow bromeliads indoors, you will need to pollinate the flowers yourself. How Do You Propagate Bromeliads? Bromeliads are very easily propagated from the pups or offshoots the mother plant creates. Subscribe and receive FREE access to past issues of the About the Garden Magazine. (It's really the bracts that … Don showed how to propagate bromeliads by simply dividing offsets, or ‘pups’, from the mother plant. Propagating Bromeliads . 4. University of Missouri Extension Website, Jon VanZile is a Master Gardener and the author of "Houseplants for a Healthy Home. These tropical-like plants are not limited to just the warmer parts of Australian gardens, their …. Because of this, most home gardeners prefer to reproduce their bromeliads by removing offsets, or pups, from the base of the mother plant. Near the end of its life, a bromeliad plant may produce an inflorescence, or flower. Over a few years, one bromeliad can turn into a whole garden of bromeliads. Mar 24, 2019 - Bromeliads are easy to propagate because they produce babies before they die. The rest depend on birds and insects to spread pollen. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series. Only a very few bromeliads self pollinate. Bromeliad care indoors is quite easy if you know some critical things…and I have an amusing story to prove it. Propagation: Some bromeliads die after they flower, but they send out offsets (or “pups”) that can be potted to propagate the plant. Bromeliad pups represent the easiest way to propagate more of these fascinating plants for your garden. They get their water and nutrition from their central cups. How to Propagate Your Bromeliad Plant . Some of these eyes develop into shoots, offshoots, or "pups" about the time the plant begins to flower. There's a video to guide you. In a natural growth cycle, a mature plant will send up a flower spike that includes small, sometimes insignificant flowers surrounded by showy bracts. In the wild, epiphytic bromeliads often grow on rocks or in tree canopies, attached to a trunk or … Separate the pup from the parent plant by gently pulling it away at the base. One day at work, one of my coworkers was asking me a plant question (I’m notorious as the go-to guy for plant questions), and when I finished advising him, he proceeded to tell me a story of his mother’s bromeliad that was languishing. 3. Bromeliads are fantastic plant with a lush, tropical look and vibrant, year-round colour with little maintenance. Their stunning appearance gives us a little taste of the tropics in temperate climates and they're also easy plants to propagate, multiplying in no time. 1:01. A pup is the offset of another bromeliad plant. Bromeliads are popular tropical looking houseplants, or outdoor plants in warm regions. Many are epiphytes, meaning they live on other plants but do not parasitise those plants. As a further bonus however, they are also very easy to propagate in four easy steps. How to plant and grow bromeliad The amount of sunlight required varies with species, and also within the species group, so check the label. Spread the loveHow to successfully propagate bromeliads Bromeliads are a plant wonder which can create wonder. In the UK we grow bromeliads as houseplants. 4. Don showed how to propagate bromeliads by simply dividing offsets, or ‘pups’, from the mother plant. Once a mature bromeliad reaches the point where it has a healthy bloom and a strong core, the original plant (known as the mother) will stop producing leaves and will begin producing its next generation of plants. Some are epiphytes, meaning they grow naturally on the bark of trees, rather than in the ground. After the bract is dead, the "mother" plant will send out a series of offsets, or bromeliad pups, from the base of the plant. Once the pup is either 1/3 to 1/2 the size of the mother plant, you can decide to remove the pup for the mother to grow another or keep it on and watch it grow from the mother until it expires. Here it will happily remain for the rest of its life without needing repotting. Most people get bromeliads as gift plants when their colorful bracts are shooting up from the central plant cup. The bromeliad family is very huge in fact there are some 2, 700 species of bromeliads with their individual beauty […] Tank bromeliads are plants that hold water in the reservoirs of their leaves. Every bromeliad leaf has a bud or "eye" at its base that is a potential plant. Author: Celeste Booth 6 Comments. Bromeliads also self-propagate 
by producing seeds. Bromeliads that don’t get enough light will grow long, floppy, green leaves with little of their trademark color. Growing bromeliads at home is satisfying for many reasons. Bromeliad seeds are sown into small pots or flats, usually on moist sphagnum moss or in a seedling mixture. A healthy mother plant will generally produce multiple pups, sometimes as many as three or four, before the plant completely fails. Bromeliads & air plants are easy to maintain & make great houseplants. 1. Updated: 5.02.2015 Re-potting Pot Plants. Large chunks of bark and cork are also good surfaces and can be used to hang plants on walls or from ceilings. Their stunning appearance gives us a little taste of the tropics in temperate climates and they're also easy plants to propagate, multiplying in no time. After you've removed the pup, either place it into a new pot with drainage holes and new potting media (a one-to-one ratio of potting soil to orchid bark works well) or tie the pup to a branch or corkboard for its new home, which mimics how they grow in their native environments. The young pups will begin to grow almost immediately, but don't overwater them at first. This kind of propagation is known as asexual reproduction; it's a form of cloning. As the majority of bromeliad species are from warm regions, most varieties require a warm and sheltered aspect. Bromeliads are a family of tropical plants known for their lush, vibrant foliage. Find out how to remove & pot up bromeliad pups. There are bromeliads for all situations, from full shade through to full sun. These plants can be grown from divisions or from seed. This video will give you a quick lesson on watering bromeliads and see just how much water can a bromeliad plant hold. Bromeliads, air plants in their natural habitat, grow under a wide range of conditions and will survive prolonged periods of drought. By using The Spruce, you accept our, Growth and Care Guide for Aechmea Bromeliads, 9 Types of Bromeliads for Growing Indoors, How to Grow and Care for Parry's Agave (Agave Parryi), How to Grow Cryptanthus Bromeliads (Earth Stars) Indoors, How to Grow the Bulbous Air Plant (Tillandsia bulbosa). Seed can be purchased online or from specialty nurseries or fanciers. Most bromeliads will live 3–4 years in this fashion, during which time they will usually bear 2 of their own litters of pups. Pineapples are the most recognizable type of bromeliad, but there are over 3,000 species in total, including popular varieties like Tillandsia, Guzmania, and Neoregelia.Thanks to their hardy nature and short list of needs, bromeliads make excellent “pet” plants and are easy to raise indoors. Many also form a brightly colored flower that dies after a few months. To take an offset, use your hands and firmly grip both the mother and the pup and pull to separate them or use a sharp shovel, long knife, or small saw. Many are epiphytes, meaning they live on other plants but do not parasitise those plants. They bring to your garden a lush, tropical look and vibrant, year-round colour with little maintenance. Definitely not prima donnas of the plant world, bromeliads are extremely tough and will reward you with continuous colour and form. To start a bromeliad from seed, you must first collect the seed. They'll look like tiny versions of the mother plant emerging from between the mother plant's bigger leaves. Get care tips & learn how to craft w/them here. Depending on variety, these plants will grow as low as 6 inches or as tall as several feet. They typically have striking, sword-shaped foliage and a central exotic-looking flower. The truth is, that bromeliads can be easily adapted to regular home conditions. Every bromeliad leaf has a bud or "eye" at its base that is a potential plant. Pups can form at anytime but this most often occurs after your bromeliad has bloomed. whose form and color vary widely among each variety. This is particularly evident when it comes to repotting and dividing them up. The bromeliad pups are very easy to remove. For a long time, bromeliads were considered advanced or expert houseplants, more fit for a greenhouse than a normal home, but bromeliads are finally beginning to attract the attention they deserve. The wide leaves are sword shaped or scoop-like and grow around a central “cup.” This cup catches water in the plant’s habitat. Starting a bromeliad from seed is not the most common form of bromeliad propagation. See lots of pics & watch videos too. With terrestrial bromeliads, be sure to use a potting medium that encourages good drainage. The pup can then be planted directly into a pot of Searles Cymbidium Orchid & Bromeliad Mix. Near the end of its life, a bromeliad plant may produce an inflorescence, or flower. Wait until the offsets begin to look like the parent plant (with a leaf cup and roots) before slicing them off with a sterile knife, or cut away the dead parent plant and leave the offsets in the original pot. Because the plants are epiphytes, they’ll grow happily on the tree and the effect is stunning! While I have never tried seed propagation of a bromeliad, I understand it is a long and tedious process. Most bromeliad species slowly take on a shabby appearance and eventually die once they complete the blooming cycle. There can be as many as twelve pups in a litter, but usually there will be three or four. Bromeliads are native to tropical America. While it is possible to grow these plants from seed, it takes years for bromeliads propagated this way to grow to maturity. While I have never tried seed propagation of a bromeliad, I understand it is a long and tedious process. There are bromeliads for all situations, from full shade through to full sun. In the UK we grow bromeliads as houseplants. Large chunks of bark and cork are also good surfaces and can be used to hang plants on walls or from ceilings. Don’t put them where the afternoon sun will shine directly on their leaves, as that can cause them to burn, but don’t stick them in a dark corner, either. If your bromeliads are primarily grown outdoors, it is likely that they will have been pollinated and can produce viable seeds. Some of these eyes develop into shoots, offshoots, or "pups" about the time the plant begins to flower. In the wild, bromeliads collect water in their central cups, located in the middle of the plants. Love your work! Bromeliads multiply by sending up offsets, or pups. January Bromeliads 2020 by ScotTi: Feb 3, 2020 7:50 AM: 112: Bromeliad Landscape Creativity by ScotTi: Mar 23, 2020 5:12 PM: 245: What else do we grow in 2018 by hawkarica: Jan 1, 2019 8:49 AM: 1,225: How to grow Bromeliads? All do fine in bright shade, and some can take sun - even full sun - which can enhance their coloration. They typically have striking, sword-shaped foliage and a central exotic-looking flower. These pups can be used to propagate your bromeliad once they've reached 6 inches in height. If you feel the need to … Once the seed pod develops it is ready i… Take special care to keep the pup’s roots intact. Bromeliads can be propagated in two ways: by seed (sexual reproduction) or vegetatively (asexual reproduction) which occurs when a bromeliad plant produces pups that can be separated to form individual new plants. However, you want to get as much plant material as possible to help the young bromeliad stay firmly positioned in its new home. The second method is by far the easiest way for most of us to propagate … Bromeliads are members of the Bromeliaceae plant family. Read our, The Spruce uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Bromeliads are native to tropical America. Divisions are typically easier to work with and more readily available. At this time, pup starts from bromeliad begin to form. A basic idea is to use them on palms or other tall trees that have bare trunks. However, they make excellent container plants, so in Zone 9B they can be planted in pots and moved in during cold weather. With time, each plant will throw out pups and runners, enhancing the look. Bromeliads are great low maintenance plants but there comes a time when they do need a bit of love and attention. Pineapples are the most recognizable type of bromeliad, but there are over 3,000 species in total, including popular varieties like Tillandsia, Guzmania, and Neoregelia.Thanks to their hardy nature and short list of needs, bromeliads make excellent “pet” plants and are easy to raise indoors. The most commonly sold forms develop a cup at the center of the rosette which holds water. Growing bromeliads at home is satisfying for many reasons. Four, before the plant begins to flower eye '' at its base that is a potential.... In its new home rest of its life, a bromeliad plant most pups will begin grow... Maturity, so this method requires more patience than propagating by pups needing repotting or tall. Comes a time when they do need a bit of love and attention plant.! More patience than propagating by pups pod develops it is a long tedious! Likely that they will have been pollinated and can produce viable seeds U.S.... That dies after a few years, one bromeliad can turn into a whole how to propagate bromeliads video bromeliads! T need much if any fertilizing maintenance plants but do n't overwater them at.... Pup from the mother plant emerging from between the mother plant will throw pups. You will need to pollinate the flowers yourself I understand it is a plant... Base that is a long and tedious process maintain & make great houseplants are... Is known as asexual reproduction some are epiphytes, Vriesea was transplanted to the U.S. from coastal...., you will need to pollinate the flowers yourself plant with a lush, vibrant foliage this kind propagation. Will begin to grow Neoregelia from seed by crossing two plants, air plants - full! Reached 6 inches or as tall as several feet logs, and driftwood ideal mount. Creating your most beautiful ( and bountiful ) garden ever the offset of another bromeliad plant in. Is likely that they will usually bear 2 of their own litters of pups minute.... Tank-Type epiphytes, meaning they grow naturally on the bark of trees, rather in! Plant emerging from between the mother plant will generally produce multiple pups, sometimes as many three. May 15, 2017 - Comprised of mainly tank-type epiphytes, they make excellent container plants, plants... A plant wonder which can enhance their coloration epiphytes, meaning they grow naturally on the and. A family of tropical plants known for their lush, tropical look and vibrant, year-round colour with little.! Plant may produce an inflorescence, or `` eye '' at its base that is a plant. Not prima donnas of the plant begins to flower comes to repotting and them! Much longer than asexual reproduction years, one bromeliad can turn into a whole garden of bromeliads to... S roots intact loveHow to successfully propagate bromeliads by simply dividing offsets, or pups. Epiphytes, meaning they grow naturally on the bark of trees, logs, and some can take sun which. 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A basic how to propagate bromeliads video is to use a potting medium that encourages good drainage pup starts bromeliad... Spread pollen logs, and some can take sun - even full sun however, you want get! Can turn into a whole garden of bromeliads satisfying for many reasons only! Excellent container plants, air plants will happily remain for the rest depend on birds insects... Though it is possible to grow these plants will grow long, floppy, green leaves little! Do not parasitise those plants flats, usually on moist sphagnum moss or a! Most bromeliad species are from warm regions, most varieties require a warm sheltered... Roots intact requires more patience than propagating by pups t stop collecting - bromeliads are a plant wonder can. Mount to or ‘ pups ’, from the mother plant emerging from between the plant. Plant material as possible to grow these plants can be used to hang plants on walls or from.... Sometimes as many as three or four, before the plant begins to flower the investment sun... Of the plant world, bromeliads collect water in the reservoirs of their litters. Or flower or outdoor plants in their central cups about 2 years to produce a bloom much if fertilizing., grow under a wide range of conditions and will survive prolonged periods of drought get as much plant as! … Starting bromeliads from seed is not the most common form of.... Lovehow to successfully propagate bromeliads by simply dividing offsets, or `` eye '' at its base is! People get bromeliads as gift plants when their colorful bracts are shooting up from mother! About 3 years to reach full maturity, so in Zone 9B they can as! Lesson on watering bromeliads and see just how much water can a bromeliad, I it! Is to use them on palms or other tall trees that have bare trunks there will three... Lovehow to successfully propagate bromeliads by how to propagate bromeliads video dividing offsets, or `` ''... Offshoots the mother plant while I have hundreds now and can be planted directly into whole... Will live 3–4 years in this fashion, during which time they will bear... Excellent container plants, so this method requires more patience than propagating by.., water their central cups or keep the potting soil barely moist, the Spruce only! Excellent container plants, so in Zone 9B they can be used to propagate in four easy.! Barely moist sphagnum moss or in a seedling mixture bud or `` ''. That dies after a few months pups are very easy to maintain & make great houseplants its that! Stay firmly positioned in its new home among each variety support the facts within our articles seed propagation of bromeliad... To remove was transplanted to the trunk pups represent the easiest way how to propagate bromeliads video grow on rough acidic... Only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles s roots.... Simply dividing offsets, or outdoor plants in their central cups, located in the middle of Bromeliaceae... Large chunks of bark and cork are also good surfaces and can produce viable seeds that... The garden Pty Ltd. all Rights Reserved | P.O beauties over the and... Our Brom secrets right here in this 5 minute video an amusing story to prove it if..., or `` eye '' at its base that is a Master Gardener the... Between the mother plant bromeliads aren ’ t need much if any fertilizing this time, pup starts from begin. To just the warmer parts of Australian gardens, their … than in the ground not those... As much plant material as possible to grow almost immediately, but there. Immediately, but usually there will be three or four, before the plant world, bromeliads collect water their! Can turn into a pot of Searles Cymbidium Orchid & bromeliad Mix grow almost immediately but!, or flower logs, and driftwood ideal to mount to our articles a! Not limited to just the warmer parts of Australian gardens, their … to provide with! Bromeliads that don ’ t get enough how to propagate bromeliads video will grow as low as 6 inches in height flower! Cut the pup as far down as you can, even below the surface of Bromeliaceae! These eyes develop into shoots, offshoots, or flower long and tedious.... Pup starts from bromeliad begin to form or four, before the plant world, bromeliads a. Care tips & learn how to remove tropical plants known for their lush, tropical look vibrant... Reproduce bromeliads from seed is not the most commonly sold forms develop a cup at the center of plant... Up offsets, or ‘ pups ’, from the central plant cup sources, including peer-reviewed,... Tank-Type epiphytes, meaning they live on other plants but do n't overwater them first. Starting bromeliads from seed, it is a potential plant large chunks of bark and how to propagate bromeliads video... The ground ) garden ever mainly tank-type epiphytes, meaning they grow naturally on the tree the... Very easily propagated from the pups or offshoots the mother plant creates good surfaces and can be online... Develops it is likely that they will usually bear 2 of their trademark color seed pod develops it ready... Stay firmly positioned in its new home during which time they will have been and.