Tillandsia cyanea - lost color of bracts?

14 years ago

I have a small T. cyanea that I purchased at Home Depot a little less than a year ago. I had it in a pot with normal potting soil for a few months, but it wasn't doing very well. It lost the normal color of its bract and hasn't flowered at all.

I moved it to a pierced-side pot and potted it in coconut fiber. It seems a little better now, the leaves are green and not browning anywhere, but the bract is still suffering. It is entirely green with browning/drying at the tip of each segment, and the top-most segments are all brown and papery.

I have been soak-watering the plant once per week and spraying the whole plant, though I haven't misted it daily. I am reading a lot of conflicting information about how to water this plant and what potting medium it should be in, so I don't know what to try.

Is there anything I can do to save my Tillandsia? Does it need to be in different potting medium? Misted more often?

Thanks for any advice!

- Bo

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Comments (4)

LisaCLV
14 years ago
If the leaves are fine, it's fine. Blooms don't last forever on any plant, and bromeliads are no exception.

T. cyanea forms a pink paddle of bracts from which blue flowers emerge, starting at the bottom and moving towards the top. Each flower will last only a day, and once they have all opened, that's it, it's done. It may take a while for the pink to fade to green, and then brown, but that's its natural progression. It won't rebloom. Cut it off and wait for the pups to mature and bloom.
User
14 years ago
I would cut the flower stalk off the plant and wait for new pups to form. It sounds like your plant underwent the normal "boxstore" routine; humid greenhouse to dry store interior. This can cause the inflorescenc to stagnate on the plant without flowering. Best remedy is to pot it in a mix of 50% orchid bark and 50% good potting mix. Keep it on the dry side of moist in high light but no direct sun. Good luck.
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eatsleepbo
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you all very much! I will snip off the bract and then wait to see if that helps, and if not I will add some potting mix to the coconut fiber.
splinter1804
14 years ago
Hi eatsleepbo,

Welcome! You're the second new member to join us on the 26th and it's great to have two new members join on the same day from different parts of the world. It just goes to show how international our forum is.

I'm sure you'll soon see what an advantage it is to be on this friendly forum and I hope you continue to take part in our discussions and also share your experiences and pictures with us.

All the best, Nev.

Tillandsia cyanea - lost color of bracts?

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LisaCLV

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Tillandsia cyanea - lost color of bracts?

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LisaCLV

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splinter1804

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