Bromeliads Make Easy Air Plants

Posted Oct 2, 2006 by Jamie Pilarczyk

Updated Oct 2, 2006 at 03:19 PM

By STEVE MICIAK
Columnist

Bromeliads are members of the bromeliaceae family and there are over 3,000 known species. They come in a wide variety of sizes from tiny miniatures to full sized giants over 9 feet tall.

Whether they are in full sun or dark shade, depending upon the species, they thrive in our locale.
Most are very reasonable (as in cheap) to purchase, and my experiences show they require very little direct care. When they bloom, oh boy, it’s a beautiful, brilliant, long-lasting prize.

Many say they breed mosquitoes and have sharp jagged edges. Well the jagged edge you can’t do much about, but the mosquitoes I’ll tell you how to get rid of later in the article.

One species in particular is near and dear to many of us. It’s delicious on pizza and as a garnish to the perfect pina colada. You guessed it – the pineapple. It is also the only bromeliad I would recommend you eat, although others are used in dietary products.
Over 500 years ago, Columbus (he sure moved around a lot of our fruit, didn’t he) introduced the pineapple to his homeland after his 1493 voyage. Within a few years, it was being cultivated throughout the New World.  Pineapple is now grown throughout the world, and Hawaii is the nation’s largest producer of these tasty treats.

There’s no reason you can’t grow one or a few yourself. Pineapple is considered a “novelty plant,” which doesn’t change the way to grow it. It just gives you more things to show off to your friends and neighbors.  The best way for you to grow one would be in a well-drained pot on your porch or step.
They enjoy full sun (yep – hot blazing sun) and will grow in semi-shaded condition (but not as quickly). If you want to, you can even grow them inside but make sure it’s a bright area. They make great landscape plants and one is definitely part of my yard.

Did you know Spanish moss is a bromeliad? It sure is, but it’s also not a moss or even from Spain so go figure why it’s called that. That’s another topic all together, the way scientific names are given.
As stated earlier, bromeliads are quite easy to grow. Depending upon the species, once you stick them in the ground or attached to a tree, they required minimum care. The only time you really need to “mess” with them is after a bloom.

Bromeliads only bloom once and then the parent plant sends out shoots called “pups.” Many people are under the misconception that if you cut off the pups, the parent will bloom again. It won’t. It will send out more pups and continue to send out pups until it eventually dies.
After the bloom starts to fade, I like to cut it off allowing the parent plant to use all its energy toward the development of pups. With more pups comes more plants and so the cycle goes.

Bromeliads are extremely tolerant of low-moisture conditions and will survive prolonged periods of drought which is a good thing in our area. Over-watering, just like in orchids, is the No. 1 cause for problems (usually rot diseases). If you grow them in a well drained soil mix they will do just fine.
Bromeliads grown in a pot should be watered thoroughly. I like to water them until water drains out of the bottom of the vessel. Once a week during low humidity is fine and less during high humidity, which is most of the year. If the tips of your leaves are turning burn, that’s a good indication you’re not watering them enough.

Most bromeliads sold at the major hardware stores have broad leaves that form a “rosette” that creates a reservoir or cup in the center. If your bromeliad is in the ground in good soil you don’t have to keep water in the cup.
Most bromeliads adapt so well to culture (they are that easy to maintain) that they absorb everything they need through their root systems. Keeping the cup filled with water under low light conditions could cause problems with a bunch of funguses and other diseases.
The rule that I learned by is to flush out the water periodically to prevent buildup of junk. Some purists will say that the “junk” is where the plant gets its nutrients and that is true – in nature. In my backyard, it’s through mild fertilization of the soil. You should never fertilize your bromeliad – it doesn’t need it and you may burn it causing unnecessary damage.

That “junk” is also where mosquitoes lay their eggs. The major stores also sell a product that you place in the cups that will kill those pesky critters. It’s called, “mosquito dunk,” and it releases a bacterium, bacillus thuringensis into the water.
The bacterium kills insect larvae but doesn’t damage the plant. That stuff is great, but if you have a couple dozen or more bromeliads, like I do, this tip works better and is much cheaper. Add a few drops of liquid soap, but not detergent, to a quart of water and pour it into the cups.
This creates a film over the surface of the water and will suffocate the mosquito larvae. I like to use Ivory soap. Every few weeks or once every other month with the garden hose knock everything out of the cups and start again.

Bromeliads have been used in landscaping for many years. They are easy to care for and require little maintenance. Tampa Bay has a few bromeliad societies that are always looking for new members to share their knowledge and passion. Check them out and join in the fun – bromeliad style.

Contact columnist Steve Miciak with gardening questions and comments via his Web site, www.southtampaorchidprofessor.com.

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