Bromeliads make beautiful indoor plants, and it can be a challenge to keep them healthy if you don’t know what you’re doing. 

This article will outline simple tips to care for bromeliads indoors so that your plant will be healthy and vibrant!

Snapshot

Common name	Bromeliad
Botanical name	Bromeliaceae
Light	Bright, indirect
Water	Water weekly during the growing season and reduce watering in the winter
Soil	Light and well-draining
Toxicity	Non-toxic

Background

There are more than 2,000 species of bromeliad plants. This makes them one of the most diverse plant families in the world. Originally from the rainforests of Central and South America, many bromeliad plants are epiphytes, meaning that they grow on other plants or trees but are not parasitic. 

These tropical plants are known for their brightly colored flowers.

Bromeliads make good indoor plants because they don’t take up much space, and they’re low maintenance.  These are favorable factors for beginner plant owners.

Care Instructions

Caring for bromeliad plants is relatively easy if you follow a few simple guidelines. 

Now, because there are so many different species, the care requirements outlined in this article apply to most bromeliads.

Light

Bromeliads need bright, indirect sunlight. They can tolerate some direct sun, but too much will scorch the leaves. 

If you don’t have any bright spots in your home, you can also use a grow light. If using a grow light, keep it on for 12 to 16 hours a day. The light should be about 6 inches (15 cm) from the plant. 

Now, if your plant is getting too much light, the leaves will start to turn yellow. If this happens, move the plant to a spot with less light.

On the other hand, if the leaves are turning red or purple, that likely means the plant isn’t getting enough light. In this case, move your plant to a brighter spot.

Watering

Bromeliads are drought-tolerant and as such, they don’t need a lot of water. 

During the growing season, you can water your bromeliad about once a week. And during winter, you can reduce watering to every other week or even once a month. 

The bromeliad plant’s leaves have a cup-like appearance that can hold water. So, when watering your indoor bromeliad, pour the water into the “cup” formed by the leaves. 

Watering your plant’s central tank is another option, and some bromeliad growers prefer this approach. Now, the central tank is located at the center of the plant and is designed to store water. So, to water the bromeliad’s central tank, pour the water into the center of the plant until it begins to overflow. 

Just like with any indoor plant, it’s important to make sure your bromeliad is not sitting in water. Be sure to empty the “cup” formed by the leaves after each watering and empty the central tank if it begins to overflow.

Keep the soil of a bromeliad plant moist but not soggy. Wet soil can lead to fungal problems. 

It’s critical to keep your plant in a pot with drainage holes. If water can’t drain out of the pot, the plant will sit in water and quickly rot.

Also, ensure that the water you use is clean and free of chemicals, as bromeliads are sensitive to some of the chemicals in tap water. Use filtered or distilled water if possible.

If you notice that your bromeliad plant is starting to wilt, it is likely not getting enough water. Make sure to increase the frequency of watering until the plant recovers.

Potting mix

For the most part, soil is too heavy for these plants. Instead, use a potting mix with added perlite or vermiculite. 

Bromeliads do not like to be too wet, so make sure the potting mix is well-drained. As previously outlined, use a pot with drainage holes. And water the plant when the potting mix is dry to the touch. Too much water can cause the plant to rot.

That’s why it’s best to use a light, well-draining potting mix made of 50% perlite and 50% peat moss.

Repot your plant when necessary

In general, bromeliads don’t need to be repotted very often. In fact, most plants only need to be repotted once every two or three years. 

You’ll know it’s time for your plant to be repotted when it starts to outgrow its pot and the roots begin to come out of the drainage holes.

Fertilizing

Care of bromeliads indoors requires some knowledge about fertilizing. A good rule of thumb is to fertilize once every two months during the growing season, and then take a break during the winter.

Fertilizer for your bromeliad should be applied at the base of the plant and not directly into the central tank. Bromeliads are light feeders, so you don’t need to use much fertilizer. Be sure to use a fertilizer that has been diluted to half-strength or less.

Use a fertilizer that is high in phosphorus as this will encourage blooming.

Temperature

Bromeliads are tropical plants, so they prefer warm temperatures. The ideal temperature range for most species is between 60-and 80-degrees Fahrenheit or between 15-and-26 degrees Celsius.

If the temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius), the plant will start to go dormant, and the leaves will turn brown. 

Humidity

Bromeliads prefer high humidity, but they can tolerate a wide range of humidity levels. If your home is on the dry side, you can increase the humidity around your plant by placing it on a pebble tray or by misting the leaves with water regularly.

A pebble tray is simply a tray filled with gravel or rocks and water. The water will evaporate and increase the humidity around the plant. As previously outlined, just be sure that the plant isn’t sitting in water, as this can cause rot.

Pruning

When caring for bromeliad plants, pruning is not regularly required.  Bromeliads don’t need a lot of pruning, but you can cut off any dead or dying leaves. You can also remove any offsets (miniature plants that grow around the base of the main plant) that you don’t want.

To remove an offset, cut it off at the base with a sharp knife. 

Flowering

Bromeliads only bloom once in their lifetime, but the flowers can last for several months. Many people mistake the plant’s colorful leaves (known as bracts), for flowers. While bracts are indeed beautiful, the actual flowers of a bromeliad are small and often unremarkable. The flowers grow in the center of the plant and are surrounded by the bracts.

After the plant flowers, it will produce offsets, or “pups.” These pups can be cut away from the mother plant and transplanted to create new plants.

Also, you can leave the pups on the mother plant. Eventually, the mother plant will die, but the pups will continue to grow and thrive.

Summary – bromeliad care tips

In summary, follow these tips when caring for bromeliad plants:

When watering your bromeliad, pour water into the “cup” or central tank.

Fertilize every few months. Use a balanced fertilizer for best results.

Keep in a sunny spot. Bromeliads need bright, indirect light to thrive.

Increase humidity if needed. Bromeliads prefer high humidity, but they can tolerate a wide range of humidity levels.

Pruning is not necessary, but you can cut off any dead or dying leaves. You can also remove any offsets that you don’t want.

When it comes to pots, the most important thing is that they have drainage holes. Bromeliads don’t like to sit in water, so a pot with drainage holes is essential.

Use a well-draining potting mix. This can be purchased at your local garden center or made at home using equal parts perlite and peat moss.

Bromeliads only bloom once in their lifetime, but the flowers can last for several months. After the plant blooms, it will start to die. However, offsets will continue to grow around the base of the plant and can be potted up to create new plants.

Here’s a quick video on bromeliad care reinforcing what’s outlined in this article.