Attached is a photo of a plant a friend gave me. It was more beautiful when I got it, as it had several purple blooms coming out of that pink "fan" growth. Those are dying. I am watering it and it is near a window, but I need help to know how much water/sun to give it. Help, please!
actually, that's just the flower spike...there IS one flower on it - in the center of the pic at the top; it's on the far right-side of the spike. (that may not be the correct terminology, someone correct me if i'm wrong). the flowers, themselves, are quite small - usually no more than an inch or two long. VERY pretty though! these plants are in the bromilead family so you should not be watering any roots...put the water in the cup area where the leaves are growing out of the center. as it is used, refill. if it's not used within a week, dump it and add fresh. you can also mist it - daily or every couple days. once the flowers are done and the spike starts to dry out, you can cut it off. they like fairly bright indirect light for most of the time - some direct like (early morning) is okay. whatever you have in the container to hold the plant in should be something comparable to the leaves and such that collect in the branches of trees - which is were these plants grow in their natural habitat. i've seen them grown on bits of bark rather than having them in the usual planters.
Many thanks to Lila for first identifying it for me (I looked it up and was horrified to see that I had been watering it when I should not!!!) and to Joclyn for the additional information. And also to Bluewing for appreciating the beauty of the plant. I am sure as it recovers from my brown-thumb abuse, it will get even more beautiful. Just wanted to say thank you to this community for the help... you are all heroes to me!!! Alison
As mentioned keeping the leaf bases filled with water is the main specific need of epiphytic bromeliads such as this one, which use the roots mostly to grip whatever they are perched upon in nature. If not mentioned already another important point you will encounter is that each leaf rosette collapses and dies after it flowers, to be replaced by new rosettes growing from the same rootstock. If you are acquainted with the flowering behavior of house leeks (Sempervivum spp.) it is the same kind of thing.
"Keeping the leaf bases filled with water" ... is it enough to put a glass of water next to the plant? I am sorry I am so ignorant, I am not a plant person, because I have always owned cats and they like to eat whatever I have in the house. This one has been safe so far from my one cat, "Martini.". But I am not familar with the flowering of house leeks... the only thing I know about leeks is that they taste good in potato soup! So, I have the plant near the same window as in the picture, I dumped out all of the water that had accumulated and now I have a short glass of water next to the plant. The heat vent is also close by, so it is getting warmth. Is there anything else I should be doing? many thanks, Alison
