Probably the best known bromeliad variety is Aechmea fasciata, the silver vase. Its striking silver-and-white foliage and large, contrasting, pink bloom is well known to consumers. Friederike is a popular Aechmea with darker foliage and a large, red flower. Guzmania Cherry is an attractive, somewhat smaller plant with brilliant, reddish flowers. other popular Guzmania varieties include Claret, Grapeade, Luna, and Ultra. Neoregelia is somewhat more low growing, frequently with variegated foliage and red flowers. Popular varieties include Meyendorffii, Tricolor, and Fladria. The small, branching Fireball is one of my favorites.
The bird's-nest bromeliads, represented by the genus Nidularium, frequently have striped or spotted foliage, with rather small but strikingly unusual flowers. Tillandsia is diminutive and somewhat less spectacular than other types, but it is very hardy and does well on plaques and pieces of wood. Vriesea, commonly called the Flaming Sword or Painted Feather bromeliad, has multicolored or striped foliage and frequently large, flat flower spikes. Cultivars of Vriesea splendens are very popular and include Poelmanii, Spledide, and Splenriet. Numerous other attractive, useful bromeliads exist in the trade, too many to name here. New varieties are also coming all the time. I've seen one Guzmania with a yellow flower that lasts nine months!
The bird's-nest bromeliads, represented by the genus Nidularium, frequently have striped or spotted foliage, with rather small but strikingly unusual flowers. Tillandsia is diminutive and somewhat less spectacular than other types, but it is very hardy and does well on plaques and pieces of wood. Vriesea, commonly called the Flaming Sword or Painted Feather bromeliad, has multicolored or striped foliage and frequently large, flat flower spikes. Cultivars of Vriesea splendens are very popular and include Poelmanii, Spledide, and Splenriet. Numerous other attractive, useful bromeliads exist in the trade, too many to name here. New varieties are also coming all the time. I've seen one Guzmania with a yellow flower that lasts nine months!
Because of their epiphytic nature, many bromeliads are able to absorb nutrients through the peltrate scales in their leaves. In their native habitats the plants feed on decomposing plant and insect debris that falls into their cups. (Tree frogs frequently lay their eggs in bromeliad cups high up in large trees in the tropical rain forests.) For the grower this means liquid feed is useful for bromeliads, but many growers have also gone to incorporating or top-dressing coated, long-term, slow-release fertilizers, supplemented with liquid feed. Ratios of 1-1-1 are popular, though many growers tweak the fertilizer program with extra phosphate or potash, depending on their experience with different varieties. Deficiency symptoms are not very common, but Aechmea has a fairly high magnesium requirement, and many cultivars respond to extra potassium. Guzmania is rather sensitive to excess boron, as are several other varieties. The Europeans often suggest that you discontinue liquid feed when bromeliads begin to bloom. In Florida, however, that has generally resulted in smaller less spectacular flowers.
I frequently tell growers that you may be in the foliage business, but what you should really be trying to grow is roots. Grow good roots, and most of the rest of your problems will take care of themselves. Don't depend on feeding bromeliads through cups. Develop a good root system by decreasing the peat percentage in your mix and increasing the percentage of wood products. Drench at potting with subdues (metalaxyl) and a high-phosphate starter fertilizer, such as 9-45-15 or 10-52-10, in order to stimulate good root growth. You will be amazed at the difference. When tying bromeliads onto driftwood and plaques, you must use stainless steel or covered wire, because any copper in the wire may be toxic to the plants. Many bromeliad varieties do well in clay pots with straight cypress mulch as the media. Air movement is very important with bromeliads. If you think about it, many of them grow up in trees where air movement is relatively constant. Try to duplicate that in your greenhouse.
Except for a few varieties, bromeliads need relatively high humidity to do well. they are tough, durable interior plants if their minimum requirements are met. Don't try to keep the cups wet all the time in interior environments. It is best to water the medium when it is very dry, and splash only a little bit in the cups. Change the water. Otherwise, fungi and algae may proliferate. A minimum of 200 f.c. (2.2 klux) is needed for most varieties. You can fertilize with about one-third teaspoon per gallon of soluble 20-20-20, but only if the light levels are 750 f.c. (8 klux) or more. Don't fertilize in the dark. Better flowering and better longevity are achieved under higher interior light levels. The best temperature range is 55 to 85F (12.8 to 29.4C).
Bromeliads brought home in bud frequently have attractive flowers for three to six months indoors. After blooming, many varieites send out suckers, which can be easily transplanted.
A wide variety of diseases are reported on bromeliads, but with decent culture most growers find the plants to be relatively pathogen free. Pythium root rot is common when plants are overwatered or if the mix too absorbent. Dry the plants down, go to a less absorbent mix in the future, and drench with Subdue (metalaxyl). Fusarium and Rhizoctonia can also cause root rot under similar conditions to Pythium. Usually, a drench with one of the thiophanate methyl fungicides helps control it. Helminthosporium is a common fungal leaf spot on Aechmea and other varieties. Good moisture management and sprays of Dithane (mancozeb) are helpful. Neoregelia is sometimes attacked by Cephaleuros virescens, an algal leaf spot. This is very difficult to control, though sprays with quanternary ammonium materials, such as Physan, may be helpful. When excessively moist, many bromeliads suffer from edema, where excessive moisture exudes from the older leaves, leaving leaf spot symptoms behind. Maintaining steady moisture levels and a consistent greenhouse environment avoids this. Problems with viruses and nematodes are extremely rare.
Mealybugs are the major insect problem for bromeliad producers, and they can be quite troublesome. They are generally introduced by plants brought into the greenhouse, so inspect all inbound shipments thoroughly. The insects may hide in the cups, between keaves in the whorl, and on roots. Malathion is frequently used to combat them, as is Cygon (dimethoate) on some varieties. Phytotoxicity information on bromeliad varieties is very limited, so you need to be careful and test unfamiliar sprays, or injury can result. Scale insects are usually found on the undersides of older leaves, where their feeding causes yellow blothches. Treatments are similar to those of mealybugs. Spider mites occasionally cause problems, for example, the pineapple mite on Aechmea. The mites feed down in the cup, and as the leaf emerges, pale yellow clusters of spots are visible. The problem looks somewhat like a disease and is frequently mistaken for a fungal leaf spot. Sprays of Avid (abamectin) or kelthane (Dicofol) are helpful, but again, check on phytotoxicity. The bromeliad pod borer, Epimorius testaceellus is occasionally a severe problem, but usually only on Tillandsia fasiculata. Mosquitoes often breed in the cups of bromeliads grown in shadehouses. This generally doesn't go down well with nursery workers. Occasional sprays of malathion over the top help keep the mosquitoes in check.
Copper in any form is toxic to just about all bromeliads. Severe foliar necrosis may develop on any part of the plant, and the entire cup may die back. Avoid copper fungicides, copper wood preservatives, and trace element preparations with significant amounts of copper. The little bit of copper found in most soluble fertilizers will generally not cause a problem. Bromeliads grown in excessively moist media frequently wobble in the pots due to inadequate rooting. Drying the plants down and changing the medya usually corrects this. Many bromeliads can survive fairly well for a time without any roots at all, though the plants are unattractive and will fail to flower properly. Aechmea fasciata develops necrotic spots on the foliage if shipped at low temperatures. Damage occurs at 50F (10C), but 68F (20C) is fine. Neoregelia Tricolor does better when shipped cool. If flower buds drop or fail to open, the cause is usually low humidity. Increasing humidity or misting the plants usually helps the blooms open. When exposed to cold temperatures or cold irrigation water, the foliage of many bromeliad varieties withers and quickly becomes unattractive.
Bulacan Garden Corporation 2008
Bromeliads, named after the Swedish botanist M. Bromel, have been popular in European greenhouses for the last 150 to 200 years. Bromeliads have been popular in the United States really only since the mid 1970's, though a few producers were doing them on a small scale earlier. In the same family as the pineapple, bromeliads may be either epiphytic, terrestrial, or in some cases both. They use their roots primarily for anchoring, as opposed to nutrient absorbtion, and their cultural requirements are somewhat more similar to cacti and succulents than to other foliage plants.
The approximately 45 bromeliad genera contain about 2,000 species. They are mostly native to tropical and subtropical regions of North, Central, and South America. The epiphytic types frequently grow in trees along riverbanks. Terrestrial types are found in a wide variety of habitats. Aechmea may be found in the wild growing in trees, on rocks, and in the ground from Mexico to Argentina. Billbergia was among the first popular cultivated bromeliads in the United States. It is usually epiphytic, though it will grow in coarse humic and mulch types of environments, such as forest litter. Guzmania prefers the shady, damp locations within rainforests, primarily in Colombia and Ecuador. It is less heat tolerant than other bromeliads and prefer lower light conditions. The better Nerogelia cultivars are found in southeastern Brazil and the Amazon region. Their multicolored foliage does best in filtered light between 50 and 70% shade and without excess fertility. Nidularium is found both in trees and on the ground in the humid forests of eastern Brazil, so it therefore naturally prefers lower light levels and moist, humid conditions.
The durable, gray-colored Tillandsia is found growing epiphytically from Florida to Argentina in many different types of habitats. It generally tolerates a wide variety of conditions, but not poorly drained soils or wet conditions. The habitat of Vriesea ranges from Mexico to Argentina, with the best cultivars coming from Brazil. It also dislikes excessively wet conditions, and its sometimes-variegated foliage does better under lower light levels.
Bromeliads may be propagated from seeds, pups (suckers), or tissue culture. some growers maintain stock plants of various varieties and harvest the suckers for commercial to purchase either rooted or bare-root liners from either tissue culture or seed. There are some good U.S. producers of bromeliad liners, though many growers still prefer to purchase plantlets in quantity from Europe, especially Holland. Boxes of liners should be promptly opened and planted. Follow the supplier's planting directions precisely.
Bromeliad culture varies quite a bit by variety. They tend to prefer a lower pH range in the medium. Selecting a good potting medium is a critical step for a good bromeliad grower. Don't try to grow bromeliads in a basic foliage mix, or in a peaty mix. Instead, use a coarse, chunky mix that falls apart when you dump it out of the pot. it is important to have wood sources, such as cypress, redwood, or bark, in the mix, along with perlite, osmunda, and other coarse materials with minimal moisture-holding capacity. The cups (whorls) of bromeliads are maintained with water in them in greenhouses, though less so in the interior environment.
Bromeliads are rather slow, sometimes taking 18 months or even up to three years to produce salable plants. However, they are minimal users of greenhouse space in their early stages, so the slow turnaround time can be compensated for by high plant destiny.
The best temperatures for bromeliads are 55 to 85F (12.8 to 29.4C). Minimum night temperatures of around 50F (10C) are best for many varieties. Frequently, plants exposed to lower temperatures than that will not flower. Neoregelia is often grown in 50 to 70% shade, with Aechmea sometimes a little brighter. Guzmania prefers cool, shady conditions with good air movement and humidity. The pH is best maintained around 5.0 for most varieties. Flowering is usally induced on year-and-a-half to two-year-old plants by spraying Florel (ethrel) at 2,500 ppm. This is equivalent to 8 ounces per gallon (65 ml per 1). Flowers will follow in about two months.
The approximately 45 bromeliad genera contain about 2,000 species. They are mostly native to tropical and subtropical regions of North, Central, and South America. The epiphytic types frequently grow in trees along riverbanks. Terrestrial types are found in a wide variety of habitats. Aechmea may be found in the wild growing in trees, on rocks, and in the ground from Mexico to Argentina. Billbergia was among the first popular cultivated bromeliads in the United States. It is usually epiphytic, though it will grow in coarse humic and mulch types of environments, such as forest litter. Guzmania prefers the shady, damp locations within rainforests, primarily in Colombia and Ecuador. It is less heat tolerant than other bromeliads and prefer lower light conditions. The better Nerogelia cultivars are found in southeastern Brazil and the Amazon region. Their multicolored foliage does best in filtered light between 50 and 70% shade and without excess fertility. Nidularium is found both in trees and on the ground in the humid forests of eastern Brazil, so it therefore naturally prefers lower light levels and moist, humid conditions.
The durable, gray-colored Tillandsia is found growing epiphytically from Florida to Argentina in many different types of habitats. It generally tolerates a wide variety of conditions, but not poorly drained soils or wet conditions. The habitat of Vriesea ranges from Mexico to Argentina, with the best cultivars coming from Brazil. It also dislikes excessively wet conditions, and its sometimes-variegated foliage does better under lower light levels.
Bromeliads may be propagated from seeds, pups (suckers), or tissue culture. some growers maintain stock plants of various varieties and harvest the suckers for commercial to purchase either rooted or bare-root liners from either tissue culture or seed. There are some good U.S. producers of bromeliad liners, though many growers still prefer to purchase plantlets in quantity from Europe, especially Holland. Boxes of liners should be promptly opened and planted. Follow the supplier's planting directions precisely.
Bromeliad culture varies quite a bit by variety. They tend to prefer a lower pH range in the medium. Selecting a good potting medium is a critical step for a good bromeliad grower. Don't try to grow bromeliads in a basic foliage mix, or in a peaty mix. Instead, use a coarse, chunky mix that falls apart when you dump it out of the pot. it is important to have wood sources, such as cypress, redwood, or bark, in the mix, along with perlite, osmunda, and other coarse materials with minimal moisture-holding capacity. The cups (whorls) of bromeliads are maintained with water in them in greenhouses, though less so in the interior environment.
Bromeliads are rather slow, sometimes taking 18 months or even up to three years to produce salable plants. However, they are minimal users of greenhouse space in their early stages, so the slow turnaround time can be compensated for by high plant destiny.
The best temperatures for bromeliads are 55 to 85F (12.8 to 29.4C). Minimum night temperatures of around 50F (10C) are best for many varieties. Frequently, plants exposed to lower temperatures than that will not flower. Neoregelia is often grown in 50 to 70% shade, with Aechmea sometimes a little brighter. Guzmania prefers cool, shady conditions with good air movement and humidity. The pH is best maintained around 5.0 for most varieties. Flowering is usally induced on year-and-a-half to two-year-old plants by spraying Florel (ethrel) at 2,500 ppm. This is equivalent to 8 ounces per gallon (65 ml per 1). Flowers will follow in about two months.
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If you are looking for exotic, hardy, low-maintenance, attractive interior foliage plants which require little water, bromeliads are the ticket. Their long-lasting flowers are often stunningly beautiful, and most cultivars have attractive foliage even when the plants are not flowering. There is a good, consistent, year-round demand for bromeliads, though peak sales are usually holidays from Christmas to Mother's Day.
Pot sizes ranging from 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) are the most commin. Epiphytic types are also grown on plaques, on pieces of driftwood, and in other imaginative presentations. I have seen Tillandsia grown for refrigerator magnets. The larger bromeliads are sometimes used as living vases for cut flowers. Planting bromeliads in nature gardens with rocks and moss enables the grower to use imagination and design talents. Bromeliads are popular in mass plantings for interior settings as well as for small, flowering accent plants for tables and desks. Clustered bromeliads are very striking when planted appropriately in tropical landscapes.
Pot sizes ranging from 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) are the most commin. Epiphytic types are also grown on plaques, on pieces of driftwood, and in other imaginative presentations. I have seen Tillandsia grown for refrigerator magnets. The larger bromeliads are sometimes used as living vases for cut flowers. Planting bromeliads in nature gardens with rocks and moss enables the grower to use imagination and design talents. Bromeliads are popular in mass plantings for interior settings as well as for small, flowering accent plants for tables and desks. Clustered bromeliads are very striking when planted appropriately in tropical landscapes.
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