Lots of people like to keep bromeliads in their houses because they’re very pretty overall. If you’re one of the many who has a bromeliad plant, you know just how nice they can be. However, some people get distressed when they notice that a bromeliad flower is starting to turn brown.
What does it mean when this happens and is it related to something that you did wrong? Actually, this is simply a sign that a bromeliad bloom has begun to die. This isn’t as alarming as it sounds, though, because your bromeliad simply has a life cycle, the same as many other plants.
Bromeliad blooms have a lifespan and you aren’t going to be able to keep a bromeliad flower going indefinitely. Once the flower has started to turn brown, the best thing to do is to go ahead and cut it off.
These flowers are long-lasting but they will eventually turn brown and die.
Why Cutting Off Browning Flowers Is the Right Call
Cutting off the browning bromeliad flower is always going to be the right call to make. This is a signal that the plant is giving you that it is moving into a new phase. The bromeliad is going to start producing pups now and these are going to become your new bromeliad plants.
Your focus should shift over to nurturing this new generation of bromeliads for your garden. Cutting off the browning flower allows your plant to focus on giving energy to the new pups.
It’s a cycle-of-life thing that you have to accept if you’re going to grow bromeliads in your home or outdoors in your garden area.
The Best Way to Remove a Bromeliad Flower
The best way to remove a bromeliad flower is to use a blade that is very sharp. It’s also going to be crucial to ensure that the blade is also sterilized so that you can get the best results.
You want to try to cut the flower cleanly and as close to the plant as possible.
If you’re able to get a clean and close cut, you’re going to do as little harm to the plant as possible. When the bloom has been removed, you’re going to be able to dispose of it how you see fit.
Some might throw it away while others might use it as compost.
Producing Pups
Your bromeliad plant is going to produce pups now and you’re going to want to care for it as well as you can during this time.
What you want to do is try to identify the bromeliad pups so that you can remove them from the mother plant when the time is right. You’ll be potting these pups and caring for them just as you did your original bromeliad plant.
Eventually, your original bromeliad plant is going to die off. There isn’t anything that you can do to prevent this but you should continue to care for it until it finishes producing pups.
This is just a natural part of the life cycle of the plant that you have to get used to.
Tips for Caring for Bromeliad Plants
It’s also going to be good to understand what you can do to care for bromeliad plants properly. If you’re going to take care of these new pups, you’ll need to know what you’re doing.
Keep reading for important tips about caring for these plants.
Give Them Bright, Indirect Sunlight
If you want the bromeliad plants to do well, it’s going to be crucial to provide them with the right lighting.
Bromeliad plants thrive when they’re placed somewhere that they can receive bright light. It’s best to give them indirect lighting so that they won’t be damaged by the sun.
When you’re keeping them indoors, it’s going to be ideal to keep them near a window but away from direct sunlight. If you’ve planted them outdoors, it’s best to put them somewhere where they will get a lot of indirect sunlight.
Just be mindful of the placement of these plants and you should be just fine.
Outdoor Bromeliads Need to Be in a Tropical Climate
It’s important to understand that bromeliads need to be in a tropical climate if you’re going to be keeping them outdoors.
You shouldn’t be planting these in your outdoor gardens if your climate isn’t right for these plants. You’re just going to watch them die and they likely won’t live long enough to produce pups.
If you live in a colder climate and want to keep bromeliad plants, you should definitely keep them indoors. Most people choose to keep these plants indoors anyway but it’s important to make this distinction for someone who might be new to these plants.
Now that you know that they’re meant for tropical climates, you can make your own decisions.
Watering Bromeliad Plants
Watering bromeliad plants is actually pretty easy because they’re designed to go through drought periods. You just want to ensure that you’re watering them when at least the top two inches of soil are dry.
Watering them too much is going to create problems that could cause the plant to suffer.
It’s also imperative to ensure that your bromeliad is draining properly. You need to pot it using soil that is good at draining completely. It’s also necessary to use a pot that is made to drain well.
Another thing to note is that bromeliad plants are especially sensitive to metal. For this reason, you should always water them using a container that isn’t made out of metal.
If you don’t take this precaution, your bromeliad plant could wind up dying or having other complications.
Keep the Humidity Levels Adjusted Properly
Since bromeliad plants are tropical, it’s going to be necessary to give them a humid environment. If things are too dry in your home, the bromeliad could wind up dying. Ideally, your humidity level should be around 60% so that this plant can do well.
You can solve potential humidity issues by placing a humidifier near your plant. You can also take steps such as misting the plant semi-regularly to keep the area’s humidity levels up.
Sometimes placing more plants near your bromeliad can help because more plants can naturally raise the humidity levels in the area.
Fertilizing Bromeliad Plants
You won’t need to worry too much about fertilizing bromeliad plants. This isn’t something that you need to do often but when you do use fertilizer, it’s best to use one that is water-soluble. Put the fertilizer around the base of the plant to get the best results.
Bromeliads are generally slow-growing plants so some fertilizer might stimulate slightly faster growth. However, using too much fertilizer can have negative effects.
For example, fertilizer can change the colors of the plant and will negatively impact its overall beauty.
Final Thoughts
Learning how to properly take care of bromeliad plants should set your mind at ease. You understand that the browning flower issue is natural and unavoidable now.
This should give you the ability to take care of your plant until the end so that you can get the pups into a good position to keep on living.
These plants can be truly beautiful and you’re likely going to enjoy taking care of them quite a bit.
Give your bromeliad plant the right level of care so that you can keep on appreciating its beauty as long as possible. It shouldn’t require too much effort but you will need to be mindful of the needs of the plant.
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.
Before you go: Now is the perfect time to start tracking your gardening progress, and I created a garden journal to do exactly that. Click the image below to see it in action and to get your own copy.
Carrie
Sunday 16th of October 2022
Thanks so much I kinda figured it was dying off because it had 4 baby pups around the base