Question
I have a Primera house plant. The mother plant has 2 4" babies popping out on it one on each side, the mother plant flower is dead so not sure what my next step is with this? Should I seperate little ones from mother and how do I do this? Should I cut the dead flower out of the mother will this help it rebloom??? Help me please I do not know what to do with this weird plant??? Thanks so much.

Answer
Hi Tara,

Your "weird" Aechmea primera is in the Bromeliad family and Bromeliads are "monocarpic." That means they produce only a single flower (or fruit) before they die. However, that single flower is very long lasting and the plants demise is a slow one, often taking up to 3 years. During that time, 1 to 3 offsets (called babies or pups) are produced to carry on the species.

The pups can be left on the mother plant or they can be severed and potted up separately. Neither method will necessarily lead to healthier new plants. It is simpler to leave the pups in place and remove dead leaves from the mother plant as they deteriorate. If you choose to sever the pups, then wait until the pups are about one-third to one-half the size of the mother and have at least five leaves before separating them.

Remove the soil where the pup attaches to the mother plant. Most of the time the pup can be pulled away from the mother with a firm but gentle tug. Otherwise, cut the pup low on the woody part of the stem that attaches the pup to the mother. Allow the severed pup to sit in the open air (out of the sun) for a day before potting it. Pot the severed pup in a small pot filled with a mix of peat moss and perlite. Keep this mix damp and place it in bright light away from direct sunlight. Keep temps above 65 degrees. You may want to place it inside a clear plastic bag to help maintain high humidity for the first month after it is potted up.

It may take several years before the offsets are mature enough to flower. Make sure they stay tightly potted in pots no more than 6" in diameter. Provide lots of very bright light and of course keep watering properly.

After they reach maturity, you may want to put the Bromeliads in a clear plastic along with a ripe apple for 7 to 10 days. The ethylene gas given off by the ripening apple will help stimulate new flowers.

I have written an article on Bromeliad care that I will email for free to you (or anyone else) who sends a request to me at [email protected].

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

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