GOOD MORNING ALL!

I've nice and chipper at 1:50am due to an overactive mind, probably more so because it's been a long weekend, now I've got work tomorrow. Yipppeee.

Is anyone into gardening here? The reason I ask is because although I do not have a love of gardening, people seem to enjoy giving me plants as presents, although I actively discourage it. The reason is - plants die on me.

I've figured out two main reasons for this.
1. My friends are probably laying bets on how long the plant will live
2. Maybe it's a reverse psychology thing - the more I say "No plants please" people might hear, for some reason "Yes! Yes! I LOVE plants! They MAKE MY DAY!

Anyway, I now have to contend with a strange plant (I don't believe that it is native to Australia) that I don't know the name of. Its leaves are long fronds, except for flowers, which have the same texture of the leaves, but are coloured red and are firmer. The texture is a plasticky feel. If you know what I'm talking about, please let me know what its name is.

I've got the plant in the shade, I give it the occasional water, and now a quarter of its petals appear to be melting. (Please note - not just withering the conventional way - it seems to be melting into itself.)

The only thing that I was told is that this particular plant needs to be kept in the shade.

Any ideas anyone?

Well, my friend K..............sounds like you've got a dying plant on your hands. Can you take a pic and post it? It may be some type of rubber plant and they like moderate sun (by a window with morning sun or weak afternoon sun). Are the leaves turning yellow any? Any good advice for watering plants - your plant needs water if soil is dry the first 2 inches of soil (stick your finger in soil to determine wetness).


Good luck, K.

I found that a couple of workmates share the plant the same species as mine. It's a bromeliad, native to tropical North America.

I have it in the shade, it's in a pot, I've hardly watered it. I haven't spoken to it (this was the suggestion of my workmates, but their language is quite colourful).

I hate watching plants die.

Oh, I will just tell you now......... bromeliads are HARD to grow, if you are not a botanist!!! We could never get ours to flower again and evidentially just let the elements take it. with you, K.

You're in Australia? Google "Bromeliads Australia" and check it out. . .there's some good info!

Made a note of that - ta.
Gotta RRUUNNNNNN now!

Have a good day, m'dear. Yeah, I'm about done for the day!

Ooooooohhhh!!! I guessed it first try! Good description, K!!!

Bromeliads, if I am remembering correctly, are saprophytes, and like to be watered ON the leaves, and not very often. Too much water and too wet of soil will kill them. Also, since they are saprophytes, they do not like heavy soil. A very light soil with lots of sphagnum works great. And they don't have much in the line of roots, so keep the pot small. Smaller than you'd think for their size. I had one bromeliad I had to water at the base of the leaves (inside the plant). That's how it "drank". lol.

And....evidently a bromeliad only blooms once in a lifetime. That's why you can never get it to bloom again. You have to grow one of the "babies" to get one to bloom.

I always thot they were pretty neat plants, tho!

Ahhh, you can tell my biology education is an old one.... there are no longer plants called saprophytes. Bromeliads are now classified as epiphytes. lol.

Hi SV, thanks for your advice.

I just checked it again, it's looking worse than yesterday. It's DY-ING!

I feel like a murderess.

Is that a Guzmania?

It's a bromeliad.

I've never heard of a Guzmania. Are you ....

Nope, you're not kidding...hey these plants look very, very closely related.

Oh dear....

Same plant, different name. So, yes, I guess it is a Guzmania. . .

Well, don't feel too bad, K....I don't have a green thumb, either....lol {{{HUGS}}}

The reason I ask is, after they bloom they have a habit of dieing. Check around the main plant for runners, it might grow again.

The plant is in a pot. I won't be planting it in the ground outside, as it is a small block, can't have it growing into my neighbour's yard.

And - the flowerwasdyingsoicutitoffbecauseididntwanttherestoftheplanttodie

In the pot, around the plant see if there are shoots... it might be working on making itself more than 1.

Ooh...yes...yes, it IS!

So, what do I do now?

There's a little flower growing to the side of the plant. It's green.

Repot it, break it up into individual plants, and give each it's own pot. If you only have 1 shoot, it means it's in too small a pot. Use a large pot to replant the shoot. And after the next bloom you should have at lest 3 or 4, which then you repot into seperate pots...give to friends family...

Great!

THANKS! You're a