Question
The very center rotted I pulled it out I am sure I over watered in the cup. My question is the plant going to die completly? Should I just replace it? It is green with pink stripes.

Answer
Hi Pennie,

Your Bromeliad is probably a Neoregelia. The standard advice to keep the Bromeliad cups filled with water is outdated. Professionals have learned that, indoors, the water tends to stagnate and rot the leaves forming the cup. It is better to water the soil when it is dry and keep the cup dry.

Look for a small baby plant, called an offset, emerging from the base of the plant, under the lower leaves. If you find one or more ofsets, then your Bromeliad has a future.

Remove any rotted leaves that pull away from the plant easily. Stop watering the cup and water only the soil when it feels dry. The main or mother plant will gradually die no matter what you do. However, it is the baby plants that will carry on. By the time the mother plant has died completely, you should have one or more good sized offset plants. It will take several years or more for the offsets to mature sufficiently to flower themselves, but they make nice foliage plants in the interim. There is no need to repot the offsets.

If the mother plant dies completely before it produces any offsets, then toss it.

I have written an article on Bromeliads 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