Mounting Bromeliads
Decorating indoors with bromeliads has become very popular among interiorscapers and interior landscape designers. One way to accent any home or office would be to mount certain species of bromeliads that have adapted well to pot and container culture.
Most of the epiphytic bromeliads have also adapted very well to pot culture and that is the way most of them are grown. However, their ability to grow without soil is one of their main attractions so we should grow some of them mounted to show off this quality.
If you have a large collection it is not practical to keep a lot of them mounted because of the extra time, space and mounting material required. There are some that do better mounted and even others that do not like to be potted at all. A good example of this can be found in the genus Tillandsia. Most of these tree-dwellers do not have a cuplike formation that will hold water and must depend on tiny peltate scales or trichomes on their leaves to control their moisture requirements. These scales open up to capture needed moisture and close when a sufficient amount has been absorbed. The survival rate for this type is much better when mounted.
Mounted bromeliads form small but strong, wiry root systems that serve primarily as holders and will take little if any nutrients into the plant. Currently, there are several various ways to mount bromeliad plants, but we will cover those tips in another post. Just remember that it is important that you have some mounting material that is not going to deteriorate and fall apart just when your bromeliad plant has rooted and is beginning to flourish. Pieces of hardwood or tree fern slabs are good. Juniper or cedar stumps make some very interesting mounts. It is also important that the plant be firmly secured to the mount so roots will form and attach themselves.
Mounting Bromeliads Information
June 14, 2006
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