by johnah on October 28, 2020
The Bromeliad Flower Spike
Bromeliads are one of the most popular flowers in the garden. They have beautiful colors and patterns, they’re easy to grow, and they’re very pretty to look at! If you’ve ever been curious about them, then you might want to learn more about them before deciding if you want to get some or not.
There are several types of bromeliads. There’s the perennial plants like dahlias and chrysanthemums, which produce their flowers all year round. Then there are annuals, which only flower once every three years (or less). Finally there are perennials, which don’t flower until they’re over six feet tall and live for ten years or longer!
Most bromeliads fall into this last category.
A Bromeliad Flower Spike Is Like A Spring Of Water That Comes From Above And Pushes Up On The Ground To Grow Flowers
In order for a bromeliad to bloom, it needs water. When the soil dries out, the plant doesn’t have enough moisture to survive. So when you see a bromeliad with no leaves, that means its soil dried up too much and it can’t support itself anymore.
Bromeliad flowers grow on a spike called an inflorescence. The inflorescence grows up from the center of the plant and has hundreds of colorful little flowers that each turn into a berry. These berries are for birds to eat so they can spread the seeds around (that’s how bromeliads travel and spread across the world).
Once You Have All The Necessary Parts, You’re All Set To Re-Blossom Your Own Bromeliad!
In order to re-bloom your bromeliad, you need the following: a dirt-covered tank (a large pot will be fine), a small cup of water, a spoonful of dead leaves, a small piece of wood (or even cardboard), and something that can act as an anchor. To keep the bromeliad from drying out to quickly, add a little bit more dirt to the tank until it’s about 1″ to 2″ deep. After you do this, place the tank in a spot where it will get plenty of sunlight (but not in direct sunlight).
Next, take the little piece of wood and put it at the bottom of the bromeliad. This will serve as an anchor for your bromeliad and help keep it from falling over. In a few weeks, you’ll notice new leaves sprouting. These new leaves are what will turn into flowers and berries!
One Month Later…
A month after you set up your tank, you should begin to see little flowers growing on the leaves. These flowers bloom very quickly and produce berries in a short amount of time as well. The whole process from start to finish will take about three months for your bromeliad to grow new flowers and produce berries.
When your bromeliad is done flowering, it’s time to harvest the berries. Take the little spoon you used earlier and scoop out the berries. Spread these out on a paper towel or a napkin to dry and harden. Once they’re dry, you can store them in a bag or jar for later use (although they taste best when fresh).
There you have it! You now know how to grow and take care of a bromeliad plant!
If you think you’d like to make this a regular hobby, there are lots of different kinds of bromeliads you can grow. These might include the Vriesea, Aechmea, Billbergia, or Neoregelia, just to name a few. Happy re-blooming!
If you have any further questions, feel free to contact us!
Sources & references used in this article:
Growing Healthy Houseplants: Choose the Right Plant, Water Wisely, and Control Pests. A Storey BASICS® Title by B Pleasant – 2005 – Storey Publishing
The Complete Guide to Keeping Your Houseplants Alive and Thriving: Everything You Need to Know Explained Simply by C Davis, M Plowright – 2011 – Bunny Jams Records
Wildflowers of Houston and southeast Texas by E Zachos – 2014 – books.google.com
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