Bewildered Greeny

Vriesea Bromelaid

Picture
This is a plant that I've been eying for quite a while now... I first saw one on a HGTV show lol and loved the look of it but wasn't sure what it was called. By chance As I was looking for my first bonsai victim my boxwood... as I entered the doors of home depot There they were! Bam! right in front of my face where i couldn't miss it... and they were even on sale... ( still not sure why they were on sale, they look fine to me )  But anyway I decided I had to have one and quickly bought it after not finding my bonsai victim I was looking for then brought it home :D 


Later I realized that not only had I purchased one Bromelaid but I purchased a Bromelaid with babies!! Aka "Pups" as one in the gardening world might say. My Mommy Bromelaid had two little Pups growing off the side of her in the pot. So I did my research and separated them from the mommy plant and put them both in their own separate little pots... It was such a great surprise.. :D 

An Interesting fact about this plant is that
 Once the Vriesea blooms, it will die. The pups will mature and bloom and the cycle will be repeated.

Plant Care

Culture: Easy to cultivate either epiphytically or in an orchid and bromeliad potting mix. The potting medium must be neutral or slightly acidic - bromeliads do not tolerate limey conditions. Add additional grit or vermiculite to commercial orchid potting mix - bromeliads do not tolerate moisture-retentive soils. To grow epiphytically, wrap the the plant's roots in sphagnum moss and secure to a piece of driftwood, tree bark or cork with wire or nylon string. Try to put the roots in a depression to create a little "soil pocket" on the support. In a few weeks the roots should take hold and you can remove the string. Bear in mind that bromeliad roots are mainly for attachment - bromeliads get most of their water from the rain, and their nutrients from dust and decaying insects that accumulate in the vase-like rosettes of their leaves. 
Light: Most bromeliad need fairly bright light, but never direct sun. In humid tropical and subtropical climes, grow outdoors in filtered sun. Indoors, provide bright, but indirect light. Can tolerate light intensities as low as 250 foot-candles.
Moisture: Water regularly during the warmer months by pouring rain water or water with low-nitrogen houseplant fertilizer directly into the center of the rosette. You should also mist the roots and sphagnum once or twice a week. Don't use water high in calcium ions (most well water, for example), or water with chlorine. They appreciate a humid environment. Keep dry in winter.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 9 - 11. Can be grown outdoors in zones 9-11, and is usually grown as a house plant elsewhere.
Propagation: Little "pups" or offsets are produced, but these should not be severed until the mother plant begins to die several weeks after blooming.