Why won’t your Bromeliad bloom? You may already be aware that these tropical gems don’t flower seasonally as your garden plants do. But if you’ve had one growing for years and it shows no sign of producing the dazzling colors it’s known for, you might start having some doubts about your care habits. Let’s go over the most likely reasons why your Bromeliad isn’t blooming and talk about what you can do differently.
If a mature Bromeliad isn’t blooming, it’s usually due to a lack of light, water, or nutrition. Excess fertilizer may also delay flowering, while overwatering and root rot can prevent it entirely. Bromeliads flower more readily in a well-aerated potting mix, at mild temperatures, and in moderate humidity.
We’ll talk you through these problems in more depth below. Although we’ll be covering quite a few possible reasons why your Bromeliad won’t bloom, you shouldn’t try to tackle them all at once. Making too many changes will only place more strain on your plant’s health.
Instead, pick the problem that sounds most likely, try to correct it, and wait for a month or two before trying something else. Bromeliads require patience even at the best of times — but they reward it splendidly.
Is Your Bromeliad Capable of Blooming?
Experienced Bromeliad growers can skip this section, but those who are new to these plants may find it helpful. They have very different flowering habits than your average home or garden plant. You’ll need to understand those differences to recognize whether it’s unusual that your Bromeliad isn’t blooming.
For the most part, Bromeliads bloom only once before dying. There are some exceptions — certain kinds of succulent Bromeliads, like Dyckias or Hechtias, can rebloom. But don’t expect your Bromeliad to flower multiple times if it belongs to any of the following popular varieties:
- Aechmea
- Guzmania
- Tillandsia
- Billbergia
- Vriesea
- Neoregelia
- Cryptanthus
Since Bromeliads are often sold while flowering, you may have already seen the only bloom you’ll get from your plant. Once the flower dries up, the rest of the plant will start to age out and die soon afterward.
Don’t despair, though — the smaller offsets (or “pups”) growing from your dying plant can be cut off and propagated. They’ll grow into new Bromeliads that will produce flowers of their own. However, they need time to mature. It takes at least a year before a transplanted Bromeliad is ready to bloom, and three to five years is more common.
In summary, if your Bromeliad has already blossomed once, or if it’s only been growing on its own for a year or two, the fact that it’s not flowering isn’t unusual. On the other hand, if you’ve been raising it from a pup for three or four years with no flowers, you may want to make some changes. Here are the six possible reasons your Bromeliad isn’t blooming:
#1: Your Bromeliad Craves the Spotlight
When your Bromeliad seems to be dragging its feet on just about anything — sprouting, growing, flowering, fruiting, etc. — it’s worth checking whether it’s getting enough light. Photosynthesis drives every single biological process that a plant performs.
Your Bromeliad should be getting at least six hours of bright sunlight per day, and that’s the bare minimum. If you’re trying to encourage flowering, 8-14 hours is superior.
The ideal type of light for most Bromeliads is bright but indirect. That means most of the sunlight isn’t falling directly on the leaves. Instead, it’s bouncing off of nearby objects or passing through a partially opaque layer like a set of muslin curtains before reaching the plant. Some varieties of Bromeliads, most notably those with stiff or wax-coated leaves, can benefit from a few hours of direct light as well.
Bright, indirect light is usually found about four to six feet away from a window. So, if your plant is sitting further away than that, or if it’s in a nook or corner that blocks a lot of the light, it may not have enough energy to bloom. You can test the light intensity throughout the day to make sure, using an illuminance meter. Shoot for a brightness range of 10,000-20,000 lux is roughly the brightness range to shoot for.
South and west-facing windows tend to get the brightest light at the hottest times of day. Southern exposures also admit direct light for more of the daylight hours. Five or six feet of distance from these windows may be safer for your plant than three or four.
If you’re moving your Bromeliad to a brighter location to help it bloom, don’t rush the transition. Increase its sunlight exposure by an hour or so each day, letting it toughen up so that it doesn’t get sunburned.
#2: Your Bromeliad Needs a Richer Diet
Though solar energy is what fuels your Bromeliad, it also needs a healthy blend of nutrients to produce healthy leaves and flowers. When growing these plants indoors, all of their nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, etc. must come from you. If you haven’t been fertilizing, this could be why your Bromeliad isn’t blooming.
A small amount is usually plenty. Start with a moderate-strength formula and dilute it further to about ½ of the amount recommended on the packaging. Give your Bromeliad this dose every four to six weeks during the spring and summer.
If you’re using a more powerful fertilizer, such as a 20-20-20 NPK ratio, you may want to reduce the dosage even further, going to about ¼-strength. (For more on NPK ratios and other fertilizer specifics, check out our article on fertilizing Bromeliads.)
Alternatively, you could also use a slow-release granular fertilizer, sprinkling a small amount onto the surface of the potting mix at the beginning of the spring. This gives you less control over the dosage but reduces the risk of fertilizer burn. Compost can also be a good way to fertilize your plant. Spread a one inch layer over the top of the plant’s soil in the early springtime.
#3: Your Plant Is Going Green
Too much fertilizer can also inhibit blooming, especially too much nitrogen. This nutrient tends to promote green, leafy growth. If you supply too much, your Bromeliad may be too busy forming new foliage to flower. Excess nitrogen can also turn vividly patterned foliage on varieties like Neoregelias into a dull, uniform green.
Avoid using any high-nitrogen fertilizers. These will often be marketed as “foliage-boosting” formulas, and when you’re looking at the NPK breakdown, the first number will be much higher than the rest. An average macronutrient ratio for flowering plants like bromeliads is 3-1-2 (or 9-3-6, or 12-4-8, and so on). When you see a nitrogen value that’s more than three times the phosphorus value, steer clear.
In some cases, reducing or even stopping your fertilizer schedule may help promote flowering. If you’ve been diligently fertilizing your Bromeliad for years and it won’t flower, try halting the dosage for a season. Your plant won’t get big and strong enough to flower without nutrition — but once it’s mature and healthy, reducing its nitrogen intake may prompt it to bloom.
#4: Your Bromeliad Needs More Water
A parched plant won’t flower, so it’s important to make sure you’re keeping your Bromeliad thoroughly watered. This is true at any time, but it’s especially crucial if you’re increasing your plant’s intake of sunlight and fertilizer. Anything that boosts your Bromeliad’s growth will increase its need for water. If that need isn’t met, the plant’s health will suffer, and it will have a hard time blooming.
There are two main ways to keep your plant well-hydrated. One is to test the soil with your finger or a moisture probe once a week and give the potting mix a good soak if it’s dry. The other is to make sure there’s always some water in the “tank” or “cup” at the center of the foliage.
Not all Bromeliads have tanks, but those that do can absorb water through the base of their leaves. Keep this space about ⅓ full, but change the water out every week, rinsing the tank thoroughly each time. This helps keep mold or mineral salts from building up on the leaves.
You should water the potting mix regularly if you’re adding fertilizer to it. This helps to ensure that any excess nutrients wash out through the drainage holes instead of accumulating in the soil. It’s fine to water through the tank as well, but make sure to drench the soil at least once a month.
#5: You’re Suffocating the Roots
Though you don’t want your Bromeliad to get thirsty, you also don’t want to supply so much water that the root system can’t get air. Not only will this impair the plant’s ability to bloom, it could kill it by causing root rot.
To keep this from happening, water only when the upper two inches of the potting mix are dry to the touch. If the soil regularly stays wet for more than a couple of days after being watered, you may need to repot your Bromeliad in a looser mix. Persistent dampness in the potting mix can indicate a lack of proper drainage.
These plants do best in very coarse soil with lots of inorganic ingredients. Try the following ratio (all fractions are listed by volume, not weight):
- ⅓ perlite or pumice
- ⅓ coarse orchid bark
- ⅓ coconut coir
If your plant is showing any signs of rot, you may also need to remove the infected tissue. Rapidly yellowing foliage, nasty-smelling soil, and limp, slimy, or mushy roots and leaves are the most telling symptoms. Clip off any of the decaying tissue, disinfecting your pruners before each snip. Then, resettle your Bromeliad in its new potting mix.
#6: Your Bromeliad Is Too Hot or Cold
Uncomfortable temperatures may prevent your Bromeliad from flowering. Extremes at either end of the thermometer are bad news. These plants typically grow in tropical forests where the shade keeps things warm but not scorching.
There are some exceptions, which is to be expected in a family as big as the Bromeliaceae. Plants like Dyckias and Puya are adapted for deserts and mountains and have a greater tolerance for harsh temperatures. As a rule, though, you should try to keep temperatures around 70-75℉ during the day. Slightly cooler nights (around 60-65℉) are good for growth and blooming.
Be careful to avoid localized hot or cold spots. Your Bromeliad may suffer if it’s too close to any of the following:
- Radiators
- Poorly insulated windows
- Heating vents
- Air conditioning units
- Fireplaces
Maintaining decent humidity can help cushion your plant against the effects of heat. In the summertime, you might want to set up a pebble tray below your plant. This can provide a small but real increase in local humidity.
Setting up a humidifier, even a small one, is even more effective. This will allow you to precisely regulate the humidity around your Bromeliad with little effort on your part. If you’re willing to spring for a higher-end humidifier, you can also choose between warm or cool mist, helping you regulate your plant’s temperature as well as the moisture in the air.
A relative humidity of about 65% is perfect for most Bromeliads. For those adapted to dry climates, 50% may be better.
How to Trigger Flowering in a Bromeliad
Some Bromeliad growers prefer not to wait for their plants to bloom naturally. There’s a sneaky houseplant hack that can allow you to push for faster flowering. And all you need to pull it off is a plastic bag and a piece of fruit.
How does it work? Simply seal your Bromeliad inside a clear plastic bag (or a clear box with a locking lid) along with a ripe apple, pear, banana, or melon. As it softens up, the fruit will release a gaseous plant hormone called ethylene, signaling to your plant that it’s time to bloom.
The effect isn’t immediate. You’ll need to leave the plant in the bag for 10-14 days, then wait another 6-14 weeks for your Bromeliad to flower. It’s still far more reliable than simply tending to your plant and waiting for a spontaneous bloom.
Some growers have reported that the flower spikes you get from this method can be smaller and less colorful than if you wait for your Bromeliad to bloom naturally. This is especially likely if you haven’t been providing proper nutrition, hydration, and lighting as described above. A small, sickly plant is probably going to produce a small, sickly inflorescence.
However, if your Bromeliad isn’t blooming after several years of diligent care, there’s no shame in giving it a nudge. Using the fruit trick on a healthy, mature plant should give you a beautiful bloom. It can also enable you to time it more precisely — for example, providing a pop of tropical color in the depths of winter.
Final Thoughts
It’s easy to get frustrated if your Bromeliad isn’t blooming. But a bit of extra TLC will usually put your plant back on the right track. With just a little more light, fertilizer, water, warmth, or humidity, you may soon see your Bromeliad bursting with life and color.