Guzmania
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- guz-MAY-nee-uh
- Description
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Bromeliad is an indoor perennial herb that grows up to 3'3" and has long strap-like green leaves. This plant is desired for the beautiful, long-lasting, torch-like inflorescence. The inflorescence along with the untoothed, unmarked leaves help to differentiate this genus from Aechmea, Neoregalia, and Vriesia. As an epiphyte, this plant requires nearly no water at its base, but its central case must be kept full of water and replaced periodically.
In indoor settings, this plant needs high light, dry soil, medium relative humidity, and the central vase kept full of water. Plant in a mixture for bromeliads or make your own with ingredients such as peat moss, vermiculite, and bark. Allow the soil to dry completely after watering. Offsets will appear at the base after the bloom fades and can be removed and started as new plants as the mother plant will soon fade and die. Fertilize by spraying 1/2 strength orchid fertilizer on the leaves in spring or summer and only 1-2 times per year.
This plant has no pest or disease problems.
Species G. linguate features an inflorescence with bright red, orange, or pink bracts and white flowers.
Quick ID Hints:
- Leaves are entire and generally unmarked
- Inflorescence is torch-like at the end of the flower scape
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Guzmania
- Family:
- Bromeliaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Florida to Tropical America
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Epiphyte
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Maintenance:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Pink
- Red/Burgundy
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Head
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Petals:
- Bracts
- Flower Description:
- Flowers are many, white or yellow, and small. They have bracts of bright red, orange, pink, or green and are crowded at scape terminus. Inflorescence is a terminal, scapose, and is simple or bipinnate. Bracts are arranged in a torch-like arrangement with flowers in many rows in the center.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Up to 20-inch leaves are in a basal rosette, forming a funnel-like central 'vase'. are simple, strap-shaped, entire, and have a generally unmarked surface.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Houseplants
