I was given a bromilliad as a gift and I have no idea how to care for one.
The leaves have started to turn brown. HELP!!!!

Thanks for your help.

N. Griffin

What are bromeliads? You may know them better by some of their common names: pineapple, air plant, earth star, vase plant and flaming sword. They are a group of specialized members of the lily family whose flowers and/or foliage make them attractive pot plants. What makes them interesting for the indoor gardener is their fascinating habits and colors. Their special adaptations to their native climates make them good indoor plants. Bromeliads are native to the tropical and subtropical regions of the western hemisphere where they made a number of very clever adaptations that helped them make the most of their surroundings and climate. For instance, many bromeliads live far off the ground and their roots are adapted for holding on, not gathering moisture and nutrients. Others developed the ability to absorb nutrients from rainwater captured in the central rosette of leaves. Others trap moisture from the air and gather nutrients from the pieces of debris that fall on their perches. The Spanish moss you see dripping from live oaks in the South is actually a type of bromeliad. Spanish moss is a Tillansdsia, also known as an air plant. Many bromeliad flowers are so unusual you might call them bizarre, with forms and colors that might have been designed at a Hollywood special effects studio. Their flowers, actually the colorful bracts around the flowers, can last for months. Intrigued? Here's how to enjoy them at home·

Tips for Growing Healthy Bromeliads
What are the light requirements for bromeliads?
Most prefer bright filtered light, but not direct sun. The exception is pineapple (Ananas) and those considered air plants. They enjoy full sun.

How much water do they need?
Those that have a rosette of foliage, such as Aechmea, the urn plant, should have the rosette kept full of water. Distilled water, rainwater or snowmelt water should be used, not tap water. Empty the rosette every couple of months and refill it. Water the soil in the pot only when it becomes dry. Those without water-holding rosettes should have the soil kept moist but not wet.

What about the air plants that are not in pots?
The Tillandsias that are grown attached to something like a piece of wood rather than potted should be misted several times a week, more frequently during the winter heating season when the humidity is low.

Do they have any special temperature requirements?
Most bromeliads like the temperatures that we normally keep our houses, 70-75º. It may take higher temperatures to bring them into bloom, but extra heat is not needed when blooming has begun. They can tolerate temperatures down to 50º.

Do bromeliads need much humidity?
If your home is very dry, they appreciate added humidity from misting or standing on a humidity tray. The air plants should be misted regularly in winter.

How much fertilizer do they require?
Since they get all their nutrients from the air, it is good to spray them with half-strength liquid fertilizer several times in the summer. Be sure to mix the fertilizer with distilled water, not tap water.

What type of soil do they prefer?
The potted bromeliads prefer a relatively coarse peat-based potting soil. A good professional mix used for perennials or one used for terrestrial orchids would be suitable. A custom mix can be made by blending a fine orchid bark with Bachman's Exceloam.

How are they propagated?
Bromeliads are propagated from the offsets that form around the base of the parent rosette. They must not be detached until their rosette is several months old and has developed the shape of the adult. Take them, with some roots and pot them shallowly in a coarse, peat-based potting soil. Do not keep them too wet. Allow the surface to dry to the touch before watering. It may take several years for them to reach blooming size.

When should I repot my bromeliads?
Since bromeliads do not become root bound, it is really not necessary to repot them. However, when they finish blooming, the parent rosettes die. The offsets formed at the base can be repotted separately to make more plants.

Will they need any grooming?
Grooming is not necessary, and they resent leaf shine products. Gently wipe the glossy-leaved plants with a soft cloth if they become dusty. The gray, furry-surfaced air plants do not need cleaning. They get nutrients from the dust that lands on their leaves.

Troubleshooting Problems with Bromeliads
Is there anything I can do to encourage my bromeliad to bloom?
If the plant is mature enough and just doesn't seem to want to bloom, blooming can usually be triggered by enclosing it in a plastic bag with a ripe apple. Keep it out of the direct sun for a week. The ripe apple will release ethylene, a gas that encourages ripening or blooming. In fact, they spray whole fields of pineapple with ethylene to trick them into bearing their fruit at the same time.
What makes the leaf tips turn brown?
Either the reservoir in the rosette or the pot may have dried out or, if not, then tap water may have been used instead of distilled water. Using leaf shine products on bromeliads may produce leaf damage too.

There are the light brown spots on the leaves. What caused them?
The plant may be sunburned. Only the earth stars and air plants are adapted to full sun. The rest of the bromeliads should have bright, but filtered, sunlight.

Are there any insects that attack bromeliads?
Mealy bugs and scale have been known to attack them. When you notice the cottony patches that are mealy bugs or scabby-looking scale insects, wipe them off with a Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol.

My bromeliad is dying? What can I do?
If the plant has not flowered, it is probably too wet. If it has flowered, the parent rosette naturally dies and is replaced by the offsets formed around its base.

@!#$ OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!