Comments on: Bromeliads Propagation Overview

By: Jason & Karen

Jason & Karen — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 00:46:34 +0000

Dear bromeliad expert:

Our bromeliad had a bright red bloom when we bought it, and it looked good for the first month that we kept it indoors. Two months ago, some of the green leaves began to turn brown, gradually getting worse until the entire plant including the bloom had become withered and brown.

Despite the mother plant dying, 3 pups emerged about a month ago. Although they haven’t grown much since then, now they are 2-3 cm tall.

In the past week, our bromeliad has looked worse and worse, with brown spreading to almost the entire surface of every leaf and the whole plant leaning to one side. The stem was kinked in two places and smelled like it was rotting, so I decided to remove it. Because the stem was soft and wet, I was able to simply rip off the stem near the base without pulling up the underground portion.

Afterwards, I realized that the pups weren’t tall enough (1/3 the size of the mother) as suggested . What can I do to ensure they survive without the mother plant? Should I have left the dying, rotting mother in place or did I do the right thing?

Is it bad to leave bromeliads indoors with the air conditioning running? I read that they like humidity. Is there any way to keep them inside with the AC on?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Jason & Karen

By: Cecilia

Cecilia — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 22:10:49 +0000

I have a bromeliad that has 3 shoots coming off above the soil surface. Can I cut these off like the pups that develop under the surface? I don’t want to lose any of them if it can be avoided. The “mother” plant is still healthy looking but I’m afraid the shoots may be draining it unnecessarily.

By: admin

admin — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 06:20:13 +0000

You can cut off the bloom. It won’t harm the bromeliad pup.

By: Tara

Tara — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 21:10:00 +0000

My mother bromeliad has bloomed and now the bloom is brown (just about dead I think) what should I do with it?

I have 1 new pup growing so I don’t want to do anything to harm that but the brown bloom from mom just looks horrible….

By: Sonia

Sonia — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 00:31:26 +0000

I bought a bromeliad for holistic purposes (to help me sleep). It was in bloom & soon saw the pups. I followed the directions found here. One pup looks normal. The other grew 2 stems with curly leaves looking nothing like the plant. I know nothing about this plant. Help anyone? What are these growths and how do I care for them?

By: Norman Kelley

Norman Kelley — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 15:36:30 +0000

Nice information at this website! The most number of “Keikis” (Hawaiian for “kids” or children) I’ve gotten from a single plant is 12. That would qualify the mother plant to be a “Grand Multipara”! To separate the keikis from the mother plant with minimum damage, I use a very sharp and non-flexible, straight, boning knife. There is no shredding or chewed-up appearance to the mother plant, which I can re-pot and with luck, get some more keikis. Thanks!

By: Martti

Martti — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 03:09:31 +0000

I had three pots full of bromeliads that died due to the abnormally intense winter in Mobile, Alabama. Or at least I thought they had died. I dug up the root system and begin to throw away the whole plant when I discovered pale pups attached to a swollen root similar to a carrot although it was brown. I planted it in some soil, and only one of the pups have sprouted above the surface. Are any of the other roots viable because they seem supple and are definitely difficult to break? I don’t want to dispose of a perfectly viable root system.

By: Doris

Doris — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 14:45:15 +0000

I am at a loss, I just purchased to Bromeliads just last week and already the one looks like it is dieing. This is the one with the green frosty leaves and a beautiful pink spike like flower growing from the inside. It is beautiful however I have know idea what it is called therefore I cannot even google it to find out how to care for it. I purchased it at Lowes, I think I am going to take it back. It was absolutely gorgeous in the store and I am afraid of killing it. I really need some help with this!!! HELP, ANYONE???

By: Brenda

Brenda — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 23:37:04 +0000

This is the first time that I have transplanted a pup, how do I know it is the right time to it, and will I be able to see the root’s without diturbing the pup.
and one more thing, Can I leech the plant?.

By: Rose

Rose — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 06:39:16 +0000

My bromeliad flower is beginning to die back and I noticed today that there was a small pup growing on the side. I don’t mind the flower looking the way it does so, I’m just going to let it die until I can pull it out (is this correct??)

I have a few questions:

FIRST: Should I leave he plant in the same spot it has been living in for the last few months (like I would an African Violet?) Will the pup stop growing if I even slightly change the condition (i.e. can I move to a spot with the similar lighting? Can I change the container (the decorative one, not the one it’s potted in? etc)
SECOND: How big does the pup have to get before I remove it? Do I slice it strait off the mother? I’ve never cut the pup off one of these before so is there some sort of online video to show how to correctly do this?
AND THIRD: When I do finally cut the pup does it have roots attached to it? If not, do I dip it in rooting hormone before I re-pot it OR do I just stick it in the soil (and how deep)

THANK YOU!!!!!