Origin
South America
Light
Dappled shade
Watering
Twice a week
Care
Expert
Flowering
Foliage
Indoor
Guzmania
A bright red star that lasts three months — and which is not the flower at all, but a cluster of coloured leaves.
Care Profile
A guide to ensuring your botanical companion thrives.
Origin
South America
Light
Bright indirect
Watering
Weekly
Maintenance
Easy
A whole life for one flowering
An epiphytic bromeliad from South American forests, it forms a funnel rosette that holds rainwater in its centre: a tank inhabited by insects and larvae.
The true flowers, small and white, go almost unnoticed among the scarlet bracts. After that single flowering the mother rosette slowly declines, leaving offsets at its base.
"The red isn't the flower, it's the invitation."
01
Styling Tip 01
Water into the centre
Fill the central tank with soft water and refresh it weekly so it doesn't stagnate.
02
Styling Tip 02
Keep the offsets
When the mother fades, detach offsets that have reached a third of her size: they will flower in two or three years.
03
Styling Tip 03
No hard water
Rain or filtered water: lime marks the leaves and clogs the heart of the rosette.
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Origin
Southeast Asia
Light
Low to bright
Watering
Weekly
Care
Easy
Flowering
Foliage