Guzmania Bromeliad: Care Tips For This Jazzy Blooming Plant

These tropical beauties are popular because of their large, vibrant blooms.  What makes guzmanias truly special is their remarkable variety of flower colors, setting them apart from other bromeliad species. This guide on Guzmania bromeliad care will keep yours looking tip-top.

When I worked in the interior landscaping trade, we used these in mass plantings in malls, building lobbies, and hotels because people loved their showy, eye-catching colors. This bromeliad is easy to find, and you may even be able to pick one up at your supermarket alongside the other houseplants and cut flowers.

Note: There are many guzmania bromeliads on the market. Now species and varieties are grown in a wide range of colors like orange, yellow, pink, plum, white, and even combos of the colors. Guzmania lingulata, which has a red flower, is commonly sold. You may also be able to find Guzmania Candy, Guzmania Hope, Guzmania conifera, and Guzmania Mathilda.

Regardless of which one you have, the care is the same!

Guzmania Bromeliad Care Guide

Guzmania Light Requirements

Guzmanias prefer and are happiest in bright, natural light like other bromeliads.  In their natural environment, they grow under the canopies of other plants on the forest floor, where it’s bright, but the direct sun is filtered through. 

An east or west exposure would be best, but keep them out of hot windows to avoid prolonged exposure to direct sun because they’ll burn.  They’ll be fine in lower light for a few weeks but won’t be as long-lasting. 

To grow them for the long haul and have them produce pups (baby plants), bright indirect light is key.

This is part of our Bromeliad Plant Care series. Yes, we do love them that much! Check Aechmea Care, Pink Quill Plant Care, Neoregelia Care, Cryptanthus Care, and Vriesia Care.

Guzmania Watering

They’re epiphytic bromeliads (meaning they grow on other plants, rocks, logs, etc., and not in the soil), so never keep them soggy or let them sit directly in water. This leads to rot as the roots are primarily for anchoring.

Guzmanias have a tank, cup, vase, or urn (the central well from which the flower stalk arises), which is how they collect much of the water they need. You want to keep that tank about 1/4 of the way full of water and flush it out with fresh water every 1-2 months to avoid any build-up of bacteria.

Keep even less water in the central cup if you have low light and/or cool temperatures. You don’t want the central part of the plant to rot out. I let the cup dry for two to seven days before refilling it with a little water. My situation is a bit different: I live in the Arizona desert in the low-humidity months (there are quite a few!) I keep the tank about half full. 

If you have hard water, consider using purified or distilled water.  And don’t overwater your bromeliad – they don’t like to stay constantly wet. I use filtered water for all my indoor plants.  I have a tankless R/O water filtration system that runs through my kitchen faucet; it has a re-mineralization cartridge that puts the good minerals back in.

Because moisture is collected through their leaves, guzmanias appreciate spraying or misting once or twice a week. I’ve had this sprayer for over three years, and it still works like a charm.

I water the growing medium every 1-2 months, depending on the temperatures and the season. Like all houseplants, you want to water less in the late fall through winter.

Interested in more on watering this plant? We have a Guide To Watering Bromeliads, which you’ll find helpful.

Humidity / Temperature

As I say about all houseplants: if your house is comfortable temperature-wise for you, then your guzmanias will do just fine. You want to avoid putting it in any areas with cold or hot drafts.

Bromeliads are native to the subtropics and the tropics (locations with high humidity) but seem to handle the lack of humidity in our homes and offices just fine. I want to tell you that Guzmanias are susceptible to brown tipping (at the ends of the leaves), which I point out in the video below.

Fertilizing A Guzmania Plant

Guzmanias, like other bromeliads, get their nutrients from matter which falls on them from plants growing above. The roots are to anchor them onto whatever they’re growing on – trees, rocks, etc. For this reason, it’s best to spray the fertilizer onto the foliage and the growing medium’s surface. 

I’ve never fertilized my bromeliads because I found they never really needed it.  If your Guzmania does, use an all-purpose orchid food, diluted to 1/2 strength, or a bromeliad fertilizer. Just be sure not to get too much in the tank because the salts in the fertilizer build up and cause burn.

Only feed in the spring or summer, once or twice a year.

Guzmania Soil

Guzmanias are epiphytes, so their potting mix needs to drain very well. They’ll grow fine in orchid bark or an orchid potting mix. I’ve also used 1/2 orchid bark and 1/2 coco coir, a more sustainable replacement for peat moss.

Repotting

Guzmania bromeliads have small root systems, so yours likely won’t need repotting. If you need to, spring, summer, and early fall are the best times.

Guzmania Bromeliad Propagation

The mother plant eventually dies (sad but true) after flowering, which is part of their life cycle. Pups or babies (new plants) will appear at the mother’s base, so a part of her lives on. Happy ending!

You can leave the bromeliad pups attached to the mother and cut away the flower and foliage after they die. Or, you can carefully remove the pups with a sharp, clean knife and pot them in fresh mix. They can also be attached to wood, bark, or driftwood for a different look.

If you want more info on bromeliad pups and propagating, here’s a post dedicated to Bromeliad Propagation.  

Safe For Pets

Are guzmanias toxic to cats and dogs? According to the ASPCA, guzmania plants are considered non-toxic for cats and dogs. 

A word of warning: their leaves are nice and crunchy, so if your kitty likes to munch away, you might want to keep the plant out of reach. It won’t poison but could make Fluffy sick.

Guzmania Flowers

The colorful bracts provide the wow factor. The small flowers are whitish and fairly inconspicuous. You have to look inside the colorful flower head to see them. Speaking of the colorful flower head, it should last and look good for up to 4 months.

When I’m buying a guzmania, I look inside to make sure the white flowers aren’t open or are just opening. If the flowers are fully open, yours won’t last as long. 

A guzmania with a tall flower spike might become top heavy.  I’ve had to anchor a couple in their decorative pots to prevent them from tipping over!

Once a guzmania has flowered, the mother plant eventually dies. You can read the highlighted posts below for more details on bromeliad flowers.

Here are some guides you may find helpful on Bromeliad Flowers: How & When to Prune Them Off and Bromeliad Flowers Turning Brown:Why It Happens & What to Do

Guzmania Video Guide

Guzmania Bromeliad FAQs

A guzmania bromeliad makes a great houseplant and is super easy to maintain. Remember to provide the right amount of light and water it properly. So go ahead, bring some tropical vibes into your life with a colorful guzmania!

Note: This post was published on 2/26/2017. It was updated on 7/13/2023.

Happy gardening & thanks for stopping by,

• About the Author
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Nell Foster

Nell, the founder of Joy Us garden, was born into a gardening family and grew up in Connecticut’s countryside. After living in Boston, New York, San Francisco, & Santa Barbara, she now calls the Arizona desert home. She studied horticulture & garden design, working in the field all her life. Nell is a gardener, designer, blogger, Youtube creator, & author. She’s been gardening for a very long time & wants to share what she’s learned with you.

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