People often consider bromeliads to be very high-maintenance plants. They demand regular caring and special gardening skills. But even with proper care, bromeliads may not thrive.
This naturally raises a question: how long can bromeliads live? How long do they live indoors and how can you know if your bromeliad is drying. In this article, we will answer these questions.
How long can bromeliads live?
Bromeliads typically live between two to five years. Their lifespan can be elongated for a few years if you provide them with proper care. When faced with neglect, bromeliads will cease to flower. That said, bromeliads keep on growing from new sprouts that they produce after flowering.
Bromeliads demand high maintenance. They need to be provided with proper care in order to help them thrive. Generally, Bromeliads live from two to five years, depending on the nature of the soil that they’ve been planted on, care provided, frequency of watering, and more.
Bromeliads thrive better when they are placed in bright light. However, the light should not be direct. Otherwise, bromeliads’ growth will decline.
Although the original plant eventually loses life, bromeliads continue to thrive through the new sprout. New pups begin to grow on bromeliads as the mother plant begins to lose its flowers. Within a year, a new plant grows from the sprouts.
It eventually grows into flowering size and blooms.
You cannot save the mother bromeliads plant once it begins to fade. The new flower structure does not allow new leaves to grow. It continues to decline for about a year before completely drying.
That is to say, although bromeliads’ mother plants do not live for too long, they live on through their offspring.
How long do bromeliads live after flowers?
As sad as it sounds, bromeliads only bloom once during their life. So they do not live long after flowering. This is particularly disappointing for people who buy the plant for its flowers.
But the good news is that bromeliads’ bloom lasts for several months on end. The flowers stay on the plant between 3 to 6 months. After that, the plant would eventually fade.
How long do bromeliads live indoors?
Bromeliads are very adaptable plants. They can grow indoors and outdoors alike. The most common type of indoor bromeliads plant lives for about two to three years. It is rather easy to take care of these plants indoors, as they thrive in bright yet indirect lights.
In addition, indoor bromeliads prefer to grow in about 60% humidity. While this humidity level can be rather difficult to maintain indoors, it is very important for the plant’s growth.
Are bromeliads hard to keep alive?
Bromeliads plants are not as hard to keep alive as people would think. You don’t need special gardening tools to take care of them. Nor do they need many fertilizers.
While caring for bromeliads, make sure to feed the plant half-strength fertilizers once a month. Continue the process during their growing season.
If your plant is placed indoors, try to maintain at least 60% humidity level within the house. In addition, keep it under bright but indirect light. And as for bromeliads’ water needs, moist their roots and base daily to keep them growing perfectly.
How do I know if my bromeliad is drying?
Bromeliads do not live long after blooming. They show several signs indicating that they are nearing life loss. So wondering how you can know if your bromeliad is drying? Here are a few signs that you should watch out for:
The flowers turn brown:
The major sign indicating that your bromeliad is drying is that the flowers will turn brown. Flowers in bromeliad blooms for several months.
But when their blooming season is over and the plant shows signs of drying, you’ll notice many brown flowers. Especially the leaves at the bottom of the plant turn brown faster. They also get soggy when they are close to life loss.
Salty build on leaves:
When the bromeliad plants near the end of their lifespan, you’ll notice the plant develops a salty build on its leaves.
Brown leaves:
Not only do the leaves get salty build over time, but they also turn brown when the plant is about to lose life. The leaves keep on developing more and more brown and yellow spots.
Healthy pups:
Another significant way to understand that your bromeliad plant is drying is to check its pup. Bromeliads, after they have bloomed, develop a new pup through their sprouts. If the pup is healthy, it indicates that the bromeliad is about to lose life.
Do bromeliads come back every year?
Most bromeliads bloom only once during their lifespan. So they do not get a chance to come back every year. Some of them continue to bloom for a significantly long time.
How to make bromeliad last longer?
To make your bromeliad last longer, you will have to make sure that it is getting proper care. These plants are sensitive and need to be well kept in order to ensure a long and healthy life.
Here are a few methods you can follow to make bromeliads last longer:
Change water regularly:
The leaves of bromeliad plants form a cup in them to help you pour water. You will have to make sure that there is no salt or mineral build-up in those cups. To ensure that, change the water regularly and make your bromeliad last longer.
Add liquid fertilizers:
From spring to winter, which is their dormant season, you will have to provide the plant with fertilizers. Add some liquid fertilizer to the plant, preferably half dosage, after every couple of months.
Make sure that you’re adding the fertilizer to the base of the plant, not on the cups. Adding fertilizer to the cups of bromeliads will not be effective.
You can also provide the bromeliad with time-release fertilizers. Do so to encourage a healthy bloom. Time-release fertilizers work best if provided during spring.
Sterilize the scissors and knives:
When you’re separating the pups from the mother bromeliads, make sure to sterilize the scissors and knives properly. Follow the sterilization process while you are trimming the plant as well. This will keep it from catching rots and allow the bromeliad to last longer.
Care for the pups:
Begin caring for your bromeliad since they are very young. You will need to care for the pups. In order to do that, mix peat, nuggets, and perlite in an equal ratio. Then mix it with a medium.
Once it is ready, insert the pup bromeliad into the medium. This will allow the plant to grow into a healthy bromeliad and last longer.
How big of a pot does a bromeliad need to live?
Bromeliad plants can be planted both indoors and outdoors in a pot. A young bromeliad plant needs a pot of about 4 inches to live.
Consider repotting the plant as it continues to grow. The young plant will outgrow the previous plant and it will eventually need a larger pot.
A mature bromeliad needs a pot of 6 inches in order to thrive. Even a full-grown bromeliad will not need a larger pot. Your plant can comfortably grow in a 6-inch pot.
Can I cut the dried flower off my bromeliad?
Bromeliads are popular for their long-lasting flowers. Their blooming season lasts for a significantly long time. But as the blooming season nears its end, the plant begins to form new pups and eventually fades out.
You can cut the dried flowers off your bromeliad plants at that point in its life. This will help the plant make room for new leaves.
Cutting off dried flowers also allows the plant to invest its energy in the new pups. Many experts advise you to cut off the flowers in order to allow the new plant to grow efficiently.
How do you keep bromeliad from rotting?
Bromeliads need sincere care in order to prevent them from rotting. Although bromeliads meet relatively few pest infestations, they are rather prone to root rotting. To avoid root rot, make sure that the base of your bromeliad is not kept wet.
In addition, the bromeliads can face crown rot if not taken off properly. In order to avoid that, make sure that you’re not letting the central cap of the plant stay wet for several weeks at a stretch.
Moreover, you will need to put the plant in a place that has good air circulation. Make sure that the plant does not face frequent abrupt changes in temperature.
Final Thoughts:
While there are various types of bromeliads, a typical bromeliad lives between two to five years. With proper care, you can grow a healthy bromeliad that will last a little longer. Bromeliads generally bloom only once during their lifetime, but a new pup will grow from the mother plant.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Why Do Bromeliads Not Need Soil to Grow?
Can Bromeliads Grow in Sun or Shade?