Question
We have a Raphael Neoregelia at our office and it is a beautiful plant, however I do not know how to keep it looking beautiful. It does have two buds growing from it but the plant its self is turning brown and dry. I have trimmed these areas off and try to make sure the plant is not too dry or too moist. What do I need to do to keep this plant alive and beautiful?

Answer
Hi Robin,

I think I may need a photo of your Neoregelia to be able to understand just what state it is in. This plant has leaves and bracts and flowers. It has flower buds and it produces offsets or baby plants. Consequently, I am not sure which portion of the plant you are referring to. A photo can be emailed directly to me at [email protected].

I can tell you that all Bromeliads, including Neoregelia, stay in flower for a coupe of months, then the flower dies, the colorful bracts start to fade, and very slowly the leaves begin to turn brown and die. But while this is going on, new baby plants called offsets are emerging near the base. By the time the "mother" plant had faded badly, the new baby plants should be reaching maturity. All of this is the natural life cycle of this plant family. A photo will help me determine just where yours is in that cycle.

Regards,
Will Creed