bromeliad

At Portland Nursery, we love Bromeliads. They include a number of beautiful plants that are easily grown indoors. They are the perfect flowering indoor plant that lasts for months with little or no care.

Bromeliads thrive in harsh interior environments without sun, with very little water and little or no attention. No other plant is as trouble free or less demanding yet so beautiful as the Bromeliad.

Scientific studies suggest bromeliads can help improve indoor air-quality as you sleep. In the photosynthetic process, most common indoor plants remove carbon dioxide while emitting oxygen and water vapors during the day. But research indicates that bromeliads behave differently during the day / night cycle, releasing oxygen and removing air pollutants at night. Data collected by the Plants for Clean Air Council suggest that when combined with foliage plants, bromeliads can help provide around-the-clock indoor air purification.

Blooming Bromeliads

Bromeliad blooms are a wonder of variety and longevity. They come in an astounding array of colors and shapes. Some remain tucked inside the rosette of leaves, while others grow into plumes reaching two or more feet in length.

Numerous factors contribute to Bromeliad blooms: time, light and water are just a few. One of the most important variables is temperature, with a minimum requirement of 50 degrees.

It is possible to prematurely force a bloom by exposing a bromeliad to ethylene gas, a natural byproduct of decomposing organic matter. Commercial products such as Florel, often used to ripen tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables, have successfully been used to produce bromeliad flowers.

Propagation

Bromeliads are easy to propagate once an offset, or "pup" has sprouted from the base of the original, or "mother plant." Pups usually emerge from the soil near the edge of the pot. They should be allowed to grow until they are one-third to one-half the size of the mother plant and have several sets of leaves.

Besides a mother plant with a pup, you'll need a second pot, clippers and some newspaper pages to spread over the work area. This won't take long, but it could be messy. You'll also need soil. For the best results, mix bark, wood chips or perlite (a quarter to an eighth of an inch diameter) with an equal amount of peat moss.

bromeliad fasciata
Container

1. When the pups are good sized and have roots, remove the mother plant and pups from their container.

Container

2.Gently pull the soil away, exposing the area where the mother plant and pup are joined.

Container

3. The pup may or may not have its own root system. If necessary, pull additional soil away so you have a clear view of the base of both plants.

Container

4. You may not need those clippers after all. Most of the time, the pup can be pulled off the mother plant without the use of any tools. If it resists a firm but gentle tug, make the cut near the base of the mother plant.

Container

5. Replant the pup (and only the pup) immediately, and discard the mother.

Houseplants for all seasons

From Aloe to Zygopetalum, we cover the alphabet with choices for your home or office; plants for your brightest window or your darkest corner, those that willa love the humidity near your shower or prefer a dry, sunny spot. Orchids, succulents, indoor bonsai and cactus. We have them all. You'll find our featured houseplants below. We carry our largest of houseplants at our Division location. This is only a brief list.