Guzmania is a popular indoor flower in our time. It belongs to the Bromeliad family. It occurs naturally in Central America and Brazil. It grows in tropical forests. Depending on the variety, guzmania can have a slightly different appearance. But plant species differ from each other not cardinally. They grow in the form of a rosette, the leaves are oblong, pointed upwards.
Depending on the species, the leaves can reach from thirty to sixty centimeters in length. In nature, these plants are epiphytes (that is, they are not attached to the ground, but to other plants), so they have aerial roots, thanks to which they receive most of the moisture necessary for photosynthesis from the air. Epiphytes, by the way, include everyone's favorite orchids, and many representatives of the Bromeliads, to which Guzmania belongs. How to care for such crops? This is what we will look at today.
Varieties and their differences
Guzmania can have flowers of various colors and sizes, they are mostly bright and large, with pointed oblong petals. The most common type isThis is a red Guzmania. It has bright red leaves. Her flowers are the same color. How to care for red guzmania, we will describe below. Growing this flower does not require too much effort.
The next variety is guzmania minor rondo. "How to take care of her?" - this question was probably asked by any person who grows indoor flowers. Minor rondo is the most common representative of this genus among lovers of indoor plants. These beauties can have white or red flowers. The leaves that surround the flower are also brightly colored - usually orange or red. There are also varieties with striped leaves, but they are not as common.
Another variety - guzmania mix. How to care for her, many also think. Let's look at the basic rules for caring for plants of the genus Guzmania.
Indoor guzmania flower - how to care?
First of all, it is worth mentioning that this is an annual (in some cases, biennial) plant. And for many it comes as a surprise that the guzmania flower, which we will now tell you how to care for, dries up after flowering. This is quite natural. In place of a plant that dries up, young plants remain, from one to three. When they grow up, they need to be transplanted, so you will again have a home decoration - a beautiful guzmania.
Transfer
What to do if guzmania has grown, how to care for a plant that is cramped in its pot? Plantrequires a very careful transplant, taking into account some of the nuances. And let's start talking about growing it with a description of this procedure, since you will need to do it every year or every two years, depending on the type.
It is undesirable to transplant an adult guzmania itself and there is no point, but with the young shoots that remained after the mother plant dries out, this procedure must be carried out. You can also separate the basal sprouts during the life of the old plant. Then you need to do this before it blooms. Thus, you can not only propagate the plant, but also extend the life of the mother bush. So, we proceed to the transplantation of young guzmania. To do this, you need to immediately prepare the pot.
Which container is suitable for guzmania?
The flowerpot should not be too narrow and high, rather, on the contrary, it is necessary to choose wide low vessels. This is due to the fact that most bromeliads have a shallow root system, which branches out more to the sides, and does not go deep. The guzmania flower is no exception. How to care for the plant, we will tell later, but for now, more about the transplant.
Drainage and soil
Drainage layer should be poured on the bottom. The lower the pot, the thinner, respectively, this layer should be. But it should take up a lot of space - one third of the height of the vessel. As a drainage, it would be most appropriate to use expanded clay or foam. You also need to make a layer of coal. It prevents the occurrence of putrefactive processes inwet ground. This will only make your guzmania he althier. How to care for a plant that came to us from the hot tropics? The culture loves abundant watering, so the use of coal as a drainage is necessary for its full growth. This plant also requires special soil.
This can be either a soil designed for bromeliads or one that is made for orchids, as they have identical soil requirements. You can also prepare the land suitable for guzmania yourself, but this is quite difficult. As additives, this kind of soil includes components that are difficult to find separately, for example, sphagnum. If you add it to the soil, as well as peat, pieces of bark and loose leafy soil, we get the earth in which the Guzmania will feel comfortable.
Transplant process
Having prepared suitable soil, pour it into the pot a few centimeters, making a slight elevation in the middle. Carefully place the guzmania on it, straighten the roots, trying in no case to damage them. This is quite difficult, because the root system of this plant is rather weak and fragile, so you need to try to do everything as carefully as possible. After adding soil to the level of the neck of the plant, hit the pot on the windowsill (or other surface on which it is located) a couple of times. This will allow the earth to be lightly compacted so you can add more. But in no case do not trample the soil in the pot with your hands, as Guzmania loves loose soil, which containsair. In order for the flower to take root well in a new place, put it in a warm place with good (but not too strong) lighting, in which there are no drafts.
Irrigation Rules
Guzmania flower, how to care for which, we continue to tell, loves regular and good watering. You can even say that he prefers the high humidity of both the soil and the air. This is especially true for such a species as guzmania minor, how to care for which, you will know after reading this article. It should be watered with warm water, but, of course, not hot, its temperature should be slightly above room temperature. Also, it shouldn't be too hard. In order to get rid of excessive rigidity, you need to boil water and leave it to brew. In addition, it is necessary to regularly spray the leaves of the plant and in general the air around it to increase humidity. This is necessary because Guzmania essentially has an underdeveloped root system, and it absorbs half of the moisture necessary for photosynthesis from the air with the help of leaves or aerial roots. In addition, when watering, one must also take into account the fact that water is not poured into the ground around the flower, but into the outer layer of the outlet (not into the inner one, as this can lead to rotting of the root system).
Diseases and pests
It is generally believed that guzmania is a plant that is very resistant to various diseases.
However, it can also be affected by parasites of various nature(be it insects or some kind of fungus). It turns out this way mainly due to improper care. So, what pests can this beautiful plant fall victim to? First of all, we can say about scale insects, spider mites and root scale insects. It is these parasites that most often attack guzmania. The fact that pests have started on the plant is evidenced by spots on the leaves and stem, mostly brown or black (it all depends on the specific variety of the parasite). You can only fight them with the help of chemicals - insecticides. But diseases that are not associated with parasites are most often caused by an imbalance of moisture in the room where the flower is located. As already mentioned, he loves an increased level of moisture around him. And therefore, if the air or soil is dry, the leaves of the guzmania may begin to turn brown and gradually fall off. The only way to deal with this is to spray the plant regularly and water more frequently.
Fertilizer
Also, this indoor flower can be fed if you want to speed up its growth or bring flowering closer. In principle, it is not necessary to do this. But if you see that the plant does not bloom (flowers usually appear in November), then know that it lacks minerals. To correct this kind of situation, you can use complex fertilizers that are designed for bromeliads or orchids. They need to be diluted with warm soft water and water the plants with it as usual. You can do this no more than once every two or three weeks.
