Basic Bromeliad Care

[Agamidae Architect]

Hello everyone, since Bromeliads are such an important plant and are used so often in Vivariums, I though it would be appropriate for a thread dedicated to their care. Ive compiled some information from various sources and personal experience. This information is geared towards common in-home windowsill bromeliads. I will post detailed information on Terranium bromeliad care in the next post Please feel free to chime in and with online seller reviews or your own rules of thumb.

Caring for bromeliads

Watering

As bromeliads are sensitive to chlorine and fluoride, it is best to use aged water; if your water is hard, use bottled water. Bromeliads appreciate humidity levels between 50-80 percent

Water the center cup or "vase" of the plant, and change the water in the cup about once a month if necessary. Depending on your heat, light, and humidity, you may or may not need to keep water int he vase area. Bromeliads can tolerate a little drought here and there. For example, If your temperature is over 80F your bromeliad is going to lose water faster through evaporation and transpiration.
Occasionally water the base of the plant, making sure the soil dries out between waterings. Do not let the soil dry out for more than 4 hours between waterings!!

Use a cloth rag to wipe away any dust that may collect on the foliage. Bromeliads have trichomes on the surface of their leaves. These water-absorbing scales help the plant absorb water as well as shield the plant from solar radiation in desert climates.

Lighting and Temperature

Most common bromeliads like bright, filtered, indirect sunlight. Place bromeliads in a bright location like an east- or if humidity is high enough, west-facing window.(In this case towards the bottom of your Vivarium/terrarium. Don't position them in direct sunlight that can damage and burn the leaves. Lighting preference can vary from species to species so do a little homework on yours and ask the source where you got them from or GOOGLE IT!

Indoor bromeliads thrive in temperatures between 65 to 70 degrees. However, to get your bromeliad to bloom, adjust the temperature to 75 degrees or above.

Growing medium

Bromeliads are epiphytic, which means they do not require soil. HOWEVER, they can and usually should be planted in some type of growing mix. You can use roughly 2/3 peat or coco choir for water and nutrient retentionl and 1/3 of either sand, orchid bark, or volcanic rock for providing better drainage, larger soil pores, and easier rooting. Searles Cymbidium Orchid & Bromeliad Mix is a good example and candidate. Regular potting soil is not a good choice for most situations since it compacts under wetting. Although it can be added in a small percentage to provide a little N available organic matter.



Feeding Bromeliads

Apply a diluted mixture of Searles Fish & Kelp once a week with a spray bottle to keep them healthy. There is also fertilizer available online especially for bromeliads called TILLANDSIA AIR PLANT AND BROMELIAD FERTILIZER 17-8-22. I have purchased this fertilizer/glue from Air Plant Paradise on ebay and can vouge for their customer service.

PROPAGATING BROMELIADS
1. Bromeliad ‘pups’ are the young offspring of the bromeliad which can be found sprouting along the base of the parent plant, usually at different times throughout the year. There can be as many as twelve pups in a litter, but usually there will be three or four. Bromeliad pups represent the easiest way to propagate more of these fascinating plants for your garden.

2. Separate the pup from the parent plant by gently pulling it away at the base. Take special care to keep the pup’s roots intact. Also, you can use a sterile knife to cut away the offset as close to the mother plant as possible. (To sterilize a knife, simply dip it into a container of alcohol to kill any existing bacteria.) Or what i do is use a lighter and sterilize with heat.
3.Dip the bottom of the offset into a rooting hormone treated with fungicide to protect the plant from disease and provide a healthy head start.
4. The pup can then be planted directly into a pot of Searles Cymbidium Orchid & Bromeliad Mix.
5. Arrange wooden shish-kabob skewers around the plant base to help keep the cutting steady and in place. Water the base of the plant until the offset produces a cup or vase in the center of the foliage. After the vase develops (in a few weeks), apply water to the vase as you did with the mother plant, watering the base only from time to time.

Here it will happily remain for the rest of its life without needing repotting. Most bromeliads will live 3–4 years in this fashion, during which time they will usually bear 2 of their own litters of pups. Most pups will take about 2 years to produce a bloom.


Lowes and most garden centers carry rooting hormone, my favorite is the Shutlz powder brand. (The gel rooting hormone can become contaminated easily and harbor/carry diseases within the jar).



*** Bromeliads are known for their foliage, and not a lot of attention is spent trying to bloom them. Also, blooming light/temperature/water/feeding requirements vary from species to species.

To induce flowering in a bromeliad, increase the light level. If you are having a difficult time getting a mature plant to flower, you can force it by placing a fruit bowl with apples next to or in a paper bag with the plant for a week to 10 days. The ethylene gas produced by the fruit will help to encourage flowering, although you need to be patient.

Side Note: Many gardeners plant bromeliads in simple, plastic pots which are then buried in garden beds and hidden under bark chips, leaving only the plant visible. The advantage of this method is that the plants can be easily moved or swapped around in the garden as desired. Another advantage with buried pots is that the potting mix will not suffer as many problems with drying out.

Please feel free to add more tips and rules of thumb you guys have learned from experience! much love

[beckdg]

daylight (good for growing) = 6400 - 6500 kelvin
blooming light = 2700 - 2900 kelvin
moonlight = about 4100 kelvin
green light is supposed to not interfere with plants cycles so may be good for a night light
wide spectrum is best in most cases

i have more and intend to edit as time goes on but i gotta feed the kids and wanted to bump this thread back to the recent list... good thread agamidae!

k= color
nanometer= wavelength... which explains why some colors penetrate better than others.
lumens= total light output of the bulb in all directions
candle power= lumens yet usually found measuring a spotlight as opposed to a regular bulb.
lux= a measure of total light at a specific location.
par= photosynthetically active radiation= a way to measure light usable for photosynthesis (what a plant can use) at a specific location.

[Agamidae Architect]

Thanks Beck!

Bromeliads in your Terranium

Special thanks and credit to Groundhog and the New York Bromeliad society for this info I found in an almost-forgotten thread.

Bromeliads are among the most popular plants for terrariums containing herps, and with good reason; they can be beautiful and fascinating. They are also tough--tolerating the antics of our tree frogs, dart frogs, reed frogs and/or small to medium-sized lizards. Many grow in nature as epiphytes (on trees), or as saxicoles (on rocks). As such, they need good air circulation to do well, and some are not good candidates for closed tanks. Neoregelias have become immensely popular with dart frog keepers, for functional as well as aesthetic reasons. But many popular neos (e.g., ‘Fireball’) are near full-sun plants that stretch after a while in tanks. Black Jungle has suggested that guzmanias and vrieseas may be better choices for humid terrariums for two reasons: they tolerate more humidity and do not need as high light levels to maintain good conformation. We agree. Yet with some careful and intelligent planning, it can be easy and rewarding to grow a variety of bromeliads (including many neos) in terrariums. In other words, select the right bromeliads for your habitat--and try not to bend your habitat to the “nicest” bromeliad.

Planting: Whether your tank is open, partially screened or closed, all bromeliads need a friable mix that drains well. They are not good candidates for the very wet substrates suitable for Cryptocorynes or Anubias. We agree with the latest consensus, and recommend a mix of coconut coir and a soil amendment such as tree fern fiber and/or seedling orchid bark (but not perlite) to loosen the mix. Do not use potting soil; it quickly packs down, hinders aeration and eventually degrades in a closed, warm environment. (And do not use charcoal—it accomplishes nothing.) If your tank is wet, try “mounding” or “false-planting.” Simply plant the pup in a small clay pot (bromeliads do not have large root systems) and place the pot on top of the substrate; this can easily be hidden with cork or other decor.

Mounting: For true epiphytes, the two best mounting media are cork bark or tree fern slabs. Young tank bromeliads (Guzmanias, Vrieseas, and Neos) can be tied to their mounts with monofilament line. Sphagnum moss is usually not necessary, although neos do seem to stay smaller without it. If the plant has a stolon (a basal stem), just shove the stolon into the mount. Many tillandsias can be attached with a waterproof glue; we use and recommend Liquid Nails (remove any animals from the tank for a few hours while working with any glue). Check out the Black Jungle website (Poison Dart Frogs Poison Arrow Frogs Dart Frogs & Exotic Tropical and Carnivorous Plants with Terrarium & Vivarium Supplies by Black Jungle Terrarium Supply) for a slide show on mounting epiphytes.

Lighting: Most of these plants will fare well with at least two full-spectrum fluorescent tubes running the length of the tank. “Power compact” bulbs with a color temperature range of 5000-6700K provide an intense lighting that can stimulate some sun-lovers to grow better if grown closer to the lights. As a general rule, plants grown under brighter light need more moisture and will tolerate more humidity. This is an area that merits further investigation and experimentation--from all of us!


A Warning: In any terrarium containing animals it is crucial to use a fertilizer that is animal-safe; we recommend Dyna-Gro or Dyna-Bloom. As there are no drainage holes in a terrarium, fertilizer should be used sparingly and at reduced strength. It is best not to foliar-feed neos, as it can cause their leaf markings to fade. (Both formulas are available at Black Jungle.)

The following is a selection of bromeliads known to grow well in terrariums, with some cultural tips. These plants have been tested by many hobbyists in tanks with animals. As a rule, it is best to start with large pups or offsets; the “finished” plants that are often available at outlets like Home Depot usually do not acclimate well to a terrarium (this may be why guzmanias and vrieseas get an undeserved reputation as tricky terrarium plants).

If you are unfamiliar with any species or variety, most can be seen at Bromeliad Encyclopedia - Florida Council of Bromeliad Societies

Terrestrial Bromeliads:
Cryptanthus sp: The “earth stars” are great foreground plants in any terrarium. Cryptanthus are true terrestrials, and will not grow mounted as epiphytes (any you may see mounted are living off their reserves). C. bivitattus, ‘Cafe au Lait,’ and ‘Ruby’ form small to medium-sized rosettes. ‘Black Mystic’ grows well, but can get 8-10” across; C. beuckeri is a more upright form that does well under moderate light.
Guzmania sp: While these usually grow as epiphytes in nature, they do enjoy some moisture and can thrive with a well drained substrate. G. lingulata v. minor and cultivars like ‘Trinidad’ are known to perform well. G. ‘Theresa,’ is a cute miniature cultivar barely 4” tall. Two new hybrids are G. ‘Charlene’ and G. ‘Mini Jewel,’ both which mature at 10” to the top of the inflorescence. Of course, some of these smaller forms are also suitable for mounting in humid tanks.

Epiphytic Bromeliads:
Neoregelia sp: Many can do well in tanks with some ventilation and bright light. Neos grown in closed, dimly-lit terrariums will etiolate (stretch) after a period of time. Some smaller decorative varieties include Neo. ampullacea and its cultivars, N. dungsiana, N. liliputiana and N. roethii. With brighter lights, one can try ‘Alley Cat,’ ‘Cheers,’ ‘June Night’ or ‘Red Waif.’ For dart frog keepers, some of the more robust (but not huge) varieties, such as ‘Alley Cat,’ ‘Pepper,’ ‘Spotted Frog’ and ‘Tigrina’ can hold water. Many of these can easily be mounted up near the lights via their stolons.
Tillandsia sp: If you have a closed terrarium, it is easier to grow the softer, green-leaved forms. Some vigorous ones include T. bulbosa, T. filifolia and the soft form of T. stricta. T. punctulata is a larger green plant that can grow well “mounded” (see above), but it does not like excessive heat. In more open tanks, good varieties include T. caput-medusae, T. funckiana, the hard-leaf form of T.stricta and T. tricolor melanocrater. Tillandsia ionantha and T. neglecta can usually go either way. Whatever your setup, they all need to drain well.
Vriesea sp: There are some smaller forms that do well in terrariums--but if you mount these, the height of their flower spikes need be taken into consideration. Some good small forms include V. carinata, V. bleherae, V. flammea, V. ‘Cardinalis,’ V. ‘Carly’ and V. ‘Julie.’ Vrisea racinae is a lovely small rosette that likes bright light and hates wet feet, so mount it like a neo in a ventilated tank, up near the lights. There is now a Vriesea splendens ‘Mini’ (only 12” tall) that seems promising for larger tanks.

Maintenance: In open tanks, epiphytes should be sprayed daily in summer, 2-3X a week in winter. Plants grown in covered tanks should, of course, be sprayed less oftenCbut spray at least weekly, if only to flush out their cups. Note: As bromeliads are sensitive to chlorine and fluoride, it is best to use aged water; if your water is hard, use bottled water. Bromeliads appreciate humidity levels between 50-80 percent, which is fine with many tropical herps. Careful observation should tell you if/when plants need water; a good hygrometer will tell you the humidity level. Remember, all of the listed bromeliads can grow well in terrariums, as long as they are not water-logged.

[Polishswimmer]

This is a very helpful thread! However, I have a 2 questions: What kind of glue is safe to attach Bromeliads to wood and other surfaces? Also, when you attach it to lets say a piece of wood, how wood you water it? Would you just keep water in its vase or what?

[Agamidae Architect]

Originally Posted by Polishswimmer

This is a very helpful thread! However, I have a 2 questions: What kind of glue is safe to attach Bromeliads to wood and other surfaces? Also, when you attach it to lets say a piece of wood, how wood you water it? Would you just keep water in its vase or what?

Most of your smaller tillandsias can be attached by only using hot glue, liquid nails or plumber's goop.Liquid nails is my fav.. You can also use these to secure any existing roots on all your mounts. **When using the hot glue be careful not to damage the plant. Apply the glue to the mount and allow to cool a few seconds before pressing the plants roots against it. Do not glue the tender part of the plant above its roots.

Larger plants are easier to mount if they have stolons. I attach these plants by nailing two staples around their stolons into the mount. Several sizes of staples are available to accommodate the different sizes of stolons. I use juniper or cedar mostly which is so hard that I have to drill holes for the staples to penetrate deep enough to hold the plant tight. I will use some pantyhose strips on larger plants for extra support. When using tree fern slabs or cork bark it is best to put holes in the mount and tie the plant on using plastic coated wire.

Mount material should be rot resistant, salt free and contain no wood preservative. Some good woods to use are juniper, oak, mesquite and rosewood. Tree fern slabs and cork bark also make good mounts. Some of the most beautiful mounts that I have found are stumps from juniper or cedar trees. You can also purchase some interesting designs made from tree fern and grape vines at some of the nurseries and pot places.

watering:Fill the center cups of The bromeliads (or called Tank bromeliads) with collected rain water or distilled water with a touch of fertilizer added. Many epiphytic bromeliads do not have cups, but are covered with gray hairs that absorb water and nutrients from the air. Spray or soak these with water about once a day if growin in The air/or dry climate.. and/or 1-3 times a week depending on climaTe humidiTY.

cool chart i found

Bromeliads have adapted to many different growth conditions from shady, humid rainforests to bright, arid deserts. The following is a list of commonly grown bromeliads.


Aechmea epiphytic bright light

Billbergia mostly epiphytic bright light

Cryptanthus terrestrial morning light

Dyckia terrestrial bright light

Guzmania mostly epiphytic low light

Neoregelia epiphytic/terrestrial bright light

Tillandsia mostly epiphytic medium to bright

Vriesea pot as terrestrials low to bright



random facT, pineapples are bromeliads

[WannabeVivMaster]

I realize this thread has been "stickied" and has been out for some time (I've read it a few times).... How about some advice for people putting newly purchased broms in their vivarium??? I'm just saying, I bought three neo broms. I got them in the mail. To my surprise, they didn't have any roots! I drilled shallow holes in some wood I placed in the vivarium. The broms all appear to be growing roots now. Hopefully, they will never need real dirt.
Awesome info in this thread!!!

[froggsong]

The roots are pretty much just to anchor the plant, from what I understand. When they are securely mounted and receive enough moisture, they put out roots. They "drink" through the center cup and pores on the leaves. When detritus falls into the cup, it provides nutrients.

When a brom still has the stolon (the "stem"), just drill a hole in wood or cut a small X in the foam of the BG and stick them in. If you can't do that, you can glue them or use staples (preferably gardening staples).

[WannabeVivMaster]

Thanks!

[froggsong]

No problem!

I think it's kindof neat that I can answer some of the plants questions now, lol... I never used to be able to! Just go to show that you're always learning new things!

[Brotherly Monkey]

has anyone used liquid nails in an enclosure with animals, specifically a very wet environment?