Extravagant Vriesia in indoor breeding. Vriesia at home

The flora of South America is incredibly rich. Vriesia splenriet or "fire sword" is found naturally in the tropical forests of this continent. An epiphyte plant with elongated linear leaves collected in a lush rosette, it settles on the branches of the tallest trees, their trunks and rhizomes. Thanks to the funnel-shaped aerial part and short rhizomes, it receives all the necessary substances and moisture not from the soil, but from the atmosphere.

A peduncle with bright bracts, combined with variegated foliage and an unusual lifestyle, could not help but attract the attention of flower growers. Today, the Vriesia Splenriet shown in the photo is one of the most popular potted plants worldwide.

Description of Vriesia Splenriet

Vriesia are varied. Botanists count dozens of species of these tropical plants, but only the most spectacular ones get into the rooms. The variety nicknamed the “fiery sword” fully justifies this vivid comparison. The dense linear leaves of the plant are collected in a dense funnel-shaped rosette. Green leaf blades up to 40 cm long are decorated with light or purple transverse stripes. Spike-shaped inflorescences can grow up to a meter in height. They rise above the greenery like a bright candle. Yellow, quickly fading flowers are framed by red bracts that remain fresh for about two months.

Thanks to the popularity of the flower, Vriesia Splenriet also attracted the interest of breeders, who presented flower growers with varieties and hybrids with inflorescences different shades and very long flowering.

From the store to new house Vriesia moves in bloom. If a gardener is just getting acquainted with the culture, he needs to know that after wilting, the mother rosette dies. The life of the flower continues thanks to the daughter plants formed at the base. Therefore, after purchase, replanting Vriesia Splenriet is not necessary. It is enough to make sure that the flower is healthy, take care of it and ensure that after flowering the plant has strong offspring.

Conditions for growing Vriesia splenriet

Vriesia is a native of the tropical jungle. The plant is considered exotic, but caring for it will not cause trouble even for inexperienced floriculture lovers.

The flower does not require special temperature conditions. Vriesia splenriet develops well at room temperature, but does not like drafts and is afraid of air cooling below +15 degrees. In a cool room, the flower's ability to receive moisture is reduced, and its excess can cause rotting.

For a flower to be beautiful and fresh, it needs high air humidity. In city apartments, especially when the heating is running, this condition is most difficult to fulfill. And here everything will be useful to the florist available methods from gentle spraying to using household appliances. If irrigation is used to care for Vriesia Splenriet, you should not allow water to come into contact with the inflorescence.

The best place for a pot of vriesea is east or west windows.

On the north side the plant will look depressed, the rosette will become sparse and stunted. If the epiphyte is exposed to direct sunlight, the leaves turn pale and the flowering period is reduced.

Caring for Vriesia Splenriet at home

In nature, Vriesea growing on branches or trunks have “learned” to accumulate moisture. Drop by drop, it accumulates in the depths of the rosette and is consumed during dry times. When watering a potted crop, water is artificially poured into the recess and then changed regularly, making sure that moisture does not get on the developing peduncle. Therefore, in winter, when the risk of rot is especially great, the moisture is removed after a few hours.

To remove water from the outlet, you can use a cotton swab or pad.

The warmer the room, the more often the vriesea needs watering. It is convenient to combine it with wiping the leaves with a damp sponge or cloth. For irrigation use soft, settled water at room temperature.

At home, Vriesia Splenriet does not need regular feeding. for epiphytes and orchids, it can be applied only once, when the plant forms and grows a peduncle. This will make flowering brighter and longer, and will also help the flower leave behind healthy, strong daughter rosettes. Liquid mixture pour into the center of the leaf cone.

When the peduncle dies, the rosette itself gradually dies off along with it. If caring for Vriesia Splenriet at home was attentive and complete, the plant leaves young shoots, which are planted and grown in the same way as adult specimens.

A loose soil mixture based on:

• 2 parts of garden soil;
• 1 part crushed pine bark, pre-steamed;
• 1 part turf soil;
• 1 part washed river sand.

As a loosening additive, you can introduce chopped sphagnum into the soil, add fine drainage gravel and charcoal, which will help remove excess moisture and prevent the development of harmful microflora.

After planting, young Vriesia rosettes do not need to be replanted for two years. During this time, the plants will take root well and will bloom in another 1–2 years.

For the first time after planting, it is better to cover the shoots with film or a bag. It will help create and maintain constant humidity. The optimal temperature for rooting is 22–25 degrees.

Video about transplanting vresia Splenriet

It is not difficult to understand why Vriesia is valued by flower growers. This flower has absorbed all the best from flowering and decorative foliage plants. Its leaves are painted with a beautiful pattern, and bright bracts enliven the interior.

Appearance and features

Vriesia is a perennial evergreen epiphytic plant. Depending on the species, the height varies between 40–70 cm. The leaves are belt-shaped, with a sharp end and smooth edges. The surface is glossy, plain in color or with an interesting marble pattern. The leaves form a rosette shaped like a funnel.

The inflorescence is a flat spike. The peduncle is tall and erect. The flowers are small, surrounded by bracts of different bright colors. The predominant colors are red, terracotta and yellow. For its xiphoid shape and bright colors, Vriesia was given the nickname of the fiery sword.

It blooms for quite a long time - more than a month. The main rosette of most varieties of Vriesia dies after flowering, leaving behind the babies. The dead plant is removed, the children are left in the same pot or seated.

Vriesia looks very interesting on driftwood. Before use, a piece of wood is placed in water for a week. During this time, it is completely cleansed of dirt and acquires a noble color. Vriesia is taken out of the pot, and the earthen ball is wrapped in damp sphagnum. The flower is planted in a recess in the middle of the driftwood or carefully fixed on it with soft wire. Several plants are planted on large driftwood at once. Caring for the composition is complicated by the need for daily spraying and keeping the moss moist.

Indoor varieties

About 250 species are known in the wild. More than half of them get along well in apartments. Seven varieties are most widespread.

1. Astrid. A distinctive feature is its very long flowering - up to four months. Produces five flower stalks up to a meter long. Inflorescences are yellow or red. The leaves are light in color, with a smooth surface.
2. Mix. The peduncles are tall, the inflorescences are characterized by branching. They harmoniously combine yellow and red shades. The bracts are scaly, the leaves are strong, evenly colored.
3. Keeled. A distinctive feature is a thin bract with a sharp keel at the top and a yellow or green edge. The leaves are rich green in color and arched. The length of the peduncle is up to half a meter.
4. Royal. Very large beautiful variety. A distinctive feature is the large leaves of a gray-green hue. Inflorescence paniculate: flowers yellow-white, bracts pink.
5. Perforated. It stands out not only for its beautiful flowering, but also for its unusual leaves. Their colors are light, the surface is decorated with longitudinal and transverse dark stripes and veins. The tip of the leaf has a reddish-brown edge. Vriesia blooms with yellow flowers with greenish spotted bracts. Inflorescence characteristic of the species- spicate.
6. Sanders. The leaves are leathery, elliptical, pointed at the ends. The surface is rough. On the underside there are spots of purple or brownish tints. The inflorescence is yellow-green, paniculate.
7. Gigantic. It is better known under another name - chess vriesia. It was named so for its spotted yellow-green color. The leaves are shortened, belt-shaped, very dense. It blooms infrequently in an apartment - it is grown for its beautiful leaves.

Flowering occurs mainly in the summer. The exact timing of flowering depends on the time of planting. If the vriesia does not bloom, it means that the conditions of detention have been violated. In reviews experienced flower growers meets interesting way stimulation of flowering. Vriesia will form flower stalks faster under the influence of small doses of ethylene released by ripe fruits. Several bananas are placed on the surface of the soil - this speeds up the formation of the peduncle.

Caring for Vriesia at home: learning the nuances

Vriesia - tropical plant. Ideal conditions for it are warmth, moisture, good lighting. Imitation of natural growing conditions maintains decorativeness and stimulates the flowering of Vriesia. What should be the care for vriesea in a pot?

• Lighting. The plant needs good lighting all year round. The optimal location in summer is an eastern or western window, in winter - a southern one. The lack of light in winter is compensated for by additional artificial lighting. It is advisable to use special phytolamps. If this is not possible, fluorescent lamps will do.
• Temperature. Vriesia loves warmth, but does not withstand heat well. Temperatures above 27°C are unacceptable! The most favorable temperature for growing Vriesia is 18-22°C. In winter, the temperature can be reduced to 15°C.
• Watering. Vriesia needs to be watered frequently during flowering and growth. Use warm, pre-settled water. They pour it directly into the outlet. In summer, the water should remain there constantly. Stagnation is not allowed - the water is changed every three days. Remains of old water are removed with a paper napkin. With the appearance of a peduncle, the watering technique is changed - water is poured onto the ground. The socket must remain dry to avoid rotting. In summer, water every two to three days. In winter, the frequency is reduced to two waterings per week; moisture inside the outlet is kept for no more than four hours a day. The remains are removed with a napkin.
• Humidity. Important Terms maintaining the decorative appearance of the plant - increased air humidity, systematic spraying. To increase humidity, not only the vriesea is sprayed, but also the air around it. The pot is placed on a tray with hydrogel or decorative pebbles, and they are periodically moistened.
• Feeding. To feed vriesea, a weak fertilizer solution is poured directly into the outlet or sprayed onto the foliage from a spray bottle. Conventional root feeding is not used. There is no need to feed often - once every two months is enough. Some gardeners feed only once per season - just before flowering. Vriesia responds well to the addition of mineral complexes for orchids.
• The soil. Stores sell a special soil mixture for bromeliads - it is better to use it. The houses consist of a substrate of deciduous soil, medium sand, peat, turf and crushed sphagnum moss.
• Transfer. Replant every two to three years. Young specimens need more frequent transfers. After flowering, the main leaf rosette dies off. If after it many daughter shoots appear, they are planted in different pots to avoid excessive density of the bush. It is imperative to replant vriesea after purchase. Standard shipping soil is not suitable for growing bromeliads. Before transplanting, the plant is given a couple of weeks to adapt to new conditions.

How to care for Vriesia during the flowering period? The main difference from standard care is that it is watered not at the outlet, but at the root. Continue to spray regularly, but avoid getting drops on flowers and bracts. Strictly monitor temperature conditions- an increase or decrease in temperature outside the specified range has a negative effect on the flower.

Reproduction methods

Long-term cultivation of Vriesia at home requires periodic replacement of the old plant with a new one. There is no other way to rejuvenate vriesea. Seed and vegetative propagation methods are used.

Seeds

You can sow seeds at any time of the year, but it is better to do it in the spring. Peat substrate is used for sowing. You can add an equal amount of sand to the peat. A container with a transparent lid is used as a container.

The container is half filled with soil, leveled and moistened with a spray bottle. Seeds are laid out on the surface and sprinkled with a very thin layer of fine sand or peat. Cover the container with a lid and place it in a warm, sunny place. Every day, remove the lid for 15 minutes, moisten the soil with a spray bottle as needed.

The first shoots appear after two weeks. The shelter is immediately removed. You can plant the seedlings in a month, when they are strong enough. After transplanting, carefully monitor the humidity and temporarily remove them to a more shaded place.

By shoots

In spring, new shoots appear next to the main rosette of Vriesia. Immediately separate them from mother plant Not recommended - fragile plants may die. They wait three months until the shoots turn into viable plants, and only then separate them.

The shoots are planted in light soil, favorable for full rooting. Peat, turf, pine bark, leaf soil, sand and sphagnum are mixed in equal quantities. After planting, the shoots are watered moderately, covered with a jar or polyethylene - in conditions high humidity rooting will occur faster. After a month and a half, they are transplanted into permanent pots with soil for adult bromeliads.

Sometimes on forums newbies ask how to prune vriesea correctly. The flower itself forms a compact rosette of leaves; it does not require pruning. Care measures include removing old, yellowed leaves and cutting off the peduncle after flowering.

Florist mistakes and their consequences

Caring for vriesea is specific - even experienced flower growers are not immune from mistakes. Improper watering, water quality that does not meet the requirements, low humidity - every mistake in care has its own consequences. All of them are described in detail in the table.

Table - Errors in caring for Vriesia, their consequences and troubleshooting

Common Pests

Quite often, Vriesea is attacked by pests. Regular inspection of leaves for the presence of insects and preventive treatment with low doses of insecticides help to avoid severe damage. If the insects are already infested, you need to take action immediately. A description of pests, signs of their appearance and methods of combating them can be found in the table.

Table - Vriesia pests

Diseases are less common. Sometimes you have to deal with sooty fungus. It usually appears after pests in place of sticky secretions. Leaf spotting makes itself felt a little less often. It is caused by a fungus. It is characterized by the appearance of transparent blisters on the leaf blades. In both cases, treatment consists of repeated spraying of Vriesia with systemic fungicides.

Knowing how to care for vriesia, you can achieve a highly decorative plant. Despite some growing features, the “fire sword” is not considered a difficult flower to care for.

Vriesia

Family- bromeliads (you are probably familiar with other bromeliads - this and).

Origin— South and Central America.

Flower growers respect Vriesia for its attractive appearance: the leaves are dense, long, smooth, collected in rosettes, and the diameter of the bunch can vary from 15 cm to one and a half meters! The color of the leaf can be one color (dark or light green), or it can be variegated - striped or even spotted. The ends of the sheet are gracefully curved downwards.

The flowering of the plant is extremely spectacular: Vriesia throws out a peduncle from a rosette of leaves, on which flowers are collected in the form of a spike. The bracts are painted in bright colors - yellow, red, purple. After flowering (if the plant is pollinated), fruits with seeds are formed.

Types and photos of Vriesia

In indoor floriculture, the most widespread is Vriesia splenrieta, also known as Vriesia splendens. The leaves are dark green, covered with dark stripes. Blooms orange or red.

Vriesia carinata has light green leaves without stripes up to 20 cm long. As a rule, it blooms twice a year.

Caring for Vriesea at home

Temperature

In summer, it is possible to move the plant in a pot to open balcony, but you should avoid exposure to sunlight.

Vriesia lighting

Loves light window sills, but needs shading from direct sunlight.

Watering vriesia at home

Watering vriesia all year round remains at a moderate level. At the same time, it must be combined with frequent spraying, for which soft water is used; if it comes from a tap, it is important to let it sit for at least a day. The plant cannot tolerate hard water.

By autumn, spraying is reduced, but not stopped if a radiator is located nearby. Dry air is contraindicated for the plant. By spring, when the air temperature rises significantly, both watering and spraying are somewhat increased.

Top dressing

Vriesia is used to feed mineral fertilizers in very low concentration. Only those formulations that do not contain calcium are suitable. Vriesia is exactly the case when it is better not to use fertilizers at all than to overdo it with them. Caution and caution again! The amount of fertilizing is reduced before the onset of cold weather.

Earth mixture

To plant Vriesia, take a light and loose soil mixture; it should accumulate moisture well. Be sure to add charcoal and pine bark. The soil mixture is made up of light turf soil, deciduous soil, humus and sand in proportions of 1:4:2:1.

Transplanting Vriesia at home

Replant the plant in the spring, if necessary. Be sure to use high-quality drainage. They are replanted using the transshipment method, but so that the rosette does not go deep into the ground.

Most often, Vriesia is propagated by children. To do this, you don’t have to wait for the right time of year, but cut it at any time. The cuttings of the offspring should be dusted with coal powder, and then planted in the described soil mixture and covered with cling film. From time to time, children need to be opened and ventilated, as well as sprayed.

Rooted plants are growing: this is a sign that it is time to remove the film.

Vriesia is less commonly grown from seeds.

Possible problems when growing Vriesia

After flowering, Vriesia may die off, but, as a rule, children remain, which are used to propagate the plant.

Popular pests that settle on Vriesia are scale insects and scale insects. To combat them, the leaves of the plant are washed with a soapy sponge and then with water at room temperature. The soil should be covered with film so as not to absorb soapy water.

Watering Vriesia should not be abundant; otherwise, waterlogging leads to rotting of the roots.

Rotting of the leaves indicates that there is regular stagnation of water in the outlet. This can happen when spraying, so it is important to ensure that water does not remain in the rosette of leaves.

Signs associated with vriesia

It is believed that vriesia helps to attract success to the house, and gives its inhabitants health and vigor. In addition, it is believed that this plant can help overcome monotony and is a great motivation for new achievements and the search for unconventional solutions.

This flower is suitable for those who lack self-confidence, who cannot break out (but long for it) from the circle of routine.

This plant will be useful for the atmosphere of the house from the point of view that Vriesea absorbs harmful impurities from the air and cleans the air well.

Lotiana specially for the site All about flowers

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Vriesia is a rather beautiful, but at the same time completely unpretentious bromeliad plant. It is perfect for breeding modern premises. It is an epiphyte that attaches and grows to other plants; in places where it grows naturally it can be found on rocks. The roots, having lost their direct functions, serve only as fastenings. IN room conditions it is often grown using bark or various driftwood.

Vriesia is a rosette with a funnel located in the center. Its leaves, depending on the type, can be up to eighty centimeters long. Their color can be very different: regular green, striped, spotted and marbled. Peduncles with inflorescences are spikes that can be either single-colored or multi-colored; their shape can be simple or branched. During flowering, small flowers of yellow, red or white which quickly die.

Photos showing common types of indoor plants - vriesia

More than two hundred and fifty species of Vriesia are found in the wild and are native to Central and South America. In indoor floriculture, only a few of its beautifully flowering and decorative foliage varieties are common.

Vriesia splendor (Splenriet or splendid)

Vriesia is brilliant and its varietal specimens are the most suitable for breeding at home. It's grassy perennial with wide lanceolate foliage of dark green color. It grows up to eighty centimeters in length and more than six in width. The leaves may be decorated with red-brown stripes or spots. A tall peduncle (about eighty centimeters) of bright red color is crowned with a spike-shaped inflorescence. It consists of yellow flowers and bright red bracts. This species is characterized by a wide rosette.

Vriesia brilliantis belongs to highly ornamental plants. Due to the specific color of the leaves and peduncles, it is called Tiger Vriesia or Fire Sword. To date, new beautiful varietal specimens of Vriesea splendor have been obtained, which have voluminous scaly inflorescences reminiscent of Vriesea Mix: Mainer, Pearl, Era and others.

Vriesia keeled

The pointed keel of the bract leaves gives the name to this species of Vriesia, which is native to Brazil. Compared to other species, it is quite miniature. Linear sheets of bright green color without a pattern grow no more than twenty-five centimeters in length and two and a half in width. On erect or drooping peduncles there are inflorescences with spectacular pink or red stipules, which are decorated with a bright yellow or green border, and small red or yellowish flowers.

This species gets its name from its leaves.

Vriesia hieroglyphica gets its name from its leaves. They have a wide arched shape and a dark green color. This background is set off by an intricate lighter pattern. The small inflorescence consists of green or red bracts and yellow flowers. This species has earned its popularity among gardeners due to its ease of maintenance and the fact that its leaves are decorative all year round.

Vriesia Sanders

Vriesea Sanders has a wide funnel-shaped rosette. Shiny, sharp and curved leaves reach thirty-five centimeters in length and five in width. They are green with a gray coating on the outside and purple with spots and dots purple- on the inside. An inflorescence-panicle no more than fifteen centimeters long consists of yellow-green flowers, the petals of which are about three centimeters in height, and pale yellow bracts. Unlike other species, the flowering of Vriesea Sanders is quite long, usually starting in October and ending in December.

How to care for vriesea at home

Caring for vriesia at home is not particularly difficult. Vriesia refers to quite unpretentious plants and average room temperature (within twenty-five degrees) will suit her perfectly. She doesn't love too much high temperatures and direct sunlight. But, nevertheless, she needs to be provided with good lighting, so the east or west side of the room is good for her.

Important! When keeping Vriesia in winter, the air temperature should not fall below fifteen degrees, this can lead to disease and death of the plant.

Since Vriesea is a resident of the tropics, keeping it indoors requires high humidity in the room. If the air is too dry, it is necessary to spray the plant and the area around it several times a day. In this case, you need to make sure that water does not get on the inflorescence. The tray can be filled with expanded clay or moss, which is constantly moistened.

Water vriesea once every two days.

Since in its natural habitat Vriesia is accustomed to the presence large quantity water, then at home, in addition to watering, you need to constantly fill the outlet with water. They stop filling it only with the beginning of flowering, so that the peduncle does not rot.

In summer, Vriesia is watered once every two days, and the water with which the outlet is filled is changed every three days. In this case, the used water is removed using a soft cloth, and the leaves are wiped. In winter, you need to leave water in the outlet for only a few hours, and reduce watering to twice a week. Water for irrigation is taken soft and always warm. Under no circumstances should it contain lime.

Feeding the indoor Vriesia flower

Feeding of Vriesia is not required. When the peduncle appears, you can make a one-time application. complex fertilizer orchids. This is done to increase the flowering period. Since after its completion the plant dies, further feeding is pointless.

Important! The fertilizer dissolved in water is not applied to the soil; it is used to fill the rosette or spray the leaves of Vriesia.

Reproduction and replanting of houseplant Vriesia

Plant propagation is carried out mainly using shoots (children), which develop after the death of the main plant. Sometimes the seed method is used, but the difficulty is that Vriesia seeds are very difficult to obtain, and they are sometimes difficult to find in specialized stores.

Reproduction by children

Vriesia reproduces very well by children

Children are formed near the mother plant, usually during its flowering period. After two to three months lateral processes can be separated from the dead plant and transplanted into separate pots. But for more reliable rooting, it is advisable not to disturb them for two years before transplanting. By this time they will have reached a sufficient height and formed a well-developed root system.

Before planting the shoots, you need to prepare special soil for them. The following soil mixture is suitable for this:

• Sod land - 1 part;
• Leaf soil - 2 parts;
• Pine bark – 1 part;
• Coarse sand – 1 part.

The shoots are placed in boxes with prepared and moistened soil, covered with polyethylene film and sent to a place with a temperature within twenty-five degrees, in which they must remain for at least a month. During this period, they take root well and can be moved to a place where they will grow permanently. Vriesia obtained from children usually blooms after four years.

Seed propagation

Vriesia also reproduces by seeds.

In order for Vriesia to produce seeds, you need to use artificial pollination. If the result is positive, you can use this method to get new plants. Before sowing, seeds must be treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or fungicide. Then they need to be dried and evenly scattered over soil consisting of equal parts of peat and sand. The plantings are moistened with a spray bottle, covered with polyethylene film and placed in a room with a temperature of twenty-five degrees. The cover must be removed regularly for watering and ventilation.

If the crops are properly maintained, seedlings should be expected within three weeks. After the formation of the third true leaf, picking is carried out into separate pots. The soil for planting vriesia can consist of turf soil - 1 part, leaf soil - 2 parts, peat - 1 part and coarse sand - 1 part.

Flowering plants obtained by seed method, you should wait five years after sowing, sometimes this period extends up to ten. Vriesia is replanted as needed before the flowering period begins.

Replanting after purchase

After purchasing a plant, it needs to be given two weeks to recover from stress, and then transplanted into suitable soil. In stores it is contained in transport soil, which does not contain any nutrients, so replanting after purchasing vriesea is necessary.

Vriesia does not bloom

If the flowering of Vriesia does not occur at the appointed time, you can use next step. Apples and bananas are placed next to the plant and covered with polyethylene film. When they ripen, they will begin to release ethylene, a gas that will stimulate the flowering of Vriesia.

Important! The absence of flowering may indicate that the temperature is too low.

Vriesia has bloomed

Many people wonder what to do after the vriesia has bloomed. If it is not intended to produce seeds, then the peduncle must be removed immediately. Then you need to gradually remove the dying leaves. Do not pour water into the outlet at this time. After the emerging children become stronger and take root, the mother plant is separated and destroyed.

Diseases, pests and difficulties when growing vriesia

If scale insects are damaged, vriesia should be washed and treated with an insecticide.

Growing problems:

• If Vriesia dries out, this indicates insufficient watering and too dry air in the room;
• Lack of light leads to loss of decorativeness of leaves and inflorescences;
• Soil waterlogging causes infection with fungal diseases, which can quickly lead to the death of Vriesia. In this case, spray with a fungicide;
• Temperature drop below the permissible limit leads to growth inhibition;
• Appearance of brown spots on the foliage may indicate sunburn.

Pests

The plant can be damaged by scale insects and mealybugs. If they are detected, Vriesia should be washed and treated with an insecticide.

Vriesia is not a capricious plant. Therefore, knowing some of the features of caring for it provides an excellent opportunity to grow this beautiful tropical resident indoors.

Watch the video material on this indoor plant We wish you pleasant viewing.

Vriesea is an unusually excellent plant from the bromeliad family (Bromeliaceae), which received its name from the Dutch naturalist and physician Willem Henrik de Vries, who studied the plant world. And its natural habitats are located in hot South American regions.

This is the closest relative of the well-known pineapple. It clings with the help of its roots, which serve rather as clothespins, to branches of trees and shrubs, and stones. In the southeast of Brazil, almost all the rocks are covered with a painted carpet of various types Vriesia and other bromeliads.

Description of Vriesia

There are about 250 species of both epiphytic and terrestrial plants. About 100 species are used for home keeping. This exotic flower known in the circles of exotic connoisseurs for some sensitivity and fastidiousness. It is considered the most heat-loving of all bromeliads, and before purchasing one, consider whether you can provide it with suitable conditions. Caring for Vriesia will create a little more trouble than caring for the other inhabitants of your window, you just have to carefully familiarize yourself with its features.

So simple!

The maintenance itself is not difficult; all you need to do is keep the apartment warm all year round.

• Vriesia is a reservoir epiphyte with sword-shaped leaves about 20 cm long, collected in a dense cup-shaped rosette, the center of which must be filled with clean water.
• The volume of the funnel in natural conditions can reach 5 liters.
• A peduncle grows from the center, bearing an inflorescence-spike with bright orange, densely packed bracts, between which small yellow flowers appear, similar to crayfish claws.

Smooth, hard dark malachite leaves are decorated with brown transverse stripes, similar to a sailor's vest. The ends of the sheet plates are bent down. Many species are grown precisely for their beautiful monumental leaves, but some form interesting inflorescences, for example in the form of a candelabra, striking in their unusualness and brightness.

• Vriesea does not have traditional roots; instead, it has special holding sprouts that do not accept nutrients, but serve only to create support for the plant by attaching to something.
• Soft during tropical downpours rainwater with a variety of debris washed off from the branches, it is collected in the center of the bowl and is gradually used by the plant for food and drink. Therefore, all the necessary substances enter only through the center of the rosette, because in natural conditions it lives on rocks, clinging to them.
• Like most bromeliads, the mother plant dies after flowering ends, forming 2-3 small shoots, which will later produce new specimens.

There is no need to rush to cut off a drying rosette until it is completely dry. You can simply trim off the wilted ends gradually. The shoots leaving the mother plant bloom no earlier than after 2-2.5 years.

How to choose a vriesia when purchasing?

It is best to purchase vriesia when the inflorescence has barely formed, but has not yet colored, since a plant with an already blossoming bud will not live long, and you may not get children from such a specimen. They begin to form a little earlier - before the bud appears.

How to care for vriesia flower at home

Vriesia Astrid Vriesia hybrid ‘Astrid’ photo Home care

Vriesia loves light: when good lighting leaves and inflorescences are painted in rich colors. However, it should be protected from direct sunlight - this causes the leaves of Vriesia to become faded. Western or eastern orientation of windows with direct sunlight for several hours is preferable. In summer, during the heat of the day, it is better to place the plant in the shade - this regime promotes the appearance of buds.

Vriesia is one of the most bromeliads; it does not tolerate sudden temperature fluctuations, drafts, or cold. Optimal temperature V winter time 18-21 degrees; in summer, Vriesia feels comfortable at room temperature. Vriesia needs regular watering throughout the year with soft, settled water.

How to water vriesea?

• The center of the rosette should always be filled with liquid, except during the period of bud growth - otherwise rot will appear.
• Vriesia roots are very sensitive to chlorine and fluorine found in tap water, therefore the water is left to settle for at least a day before watering.
• In winter (when it’s cold), water is drained from the leaf outlet if the room temperature drops below 20 degrees. Only fill the funnel for a few hours a couple of times a week during the cold season.

The presence of water at low temperatures can lead to the development of fungal diseases. If your house is warm enough in winter, then simply move the pot with vriesea away from the radiators central heating. When a bud appears, the water is also poured out of the outlet. It will be enough just to spray the leaves and moisten the substrate.

How to feed Vriesia

During active growth Feed with fertilizer for indoor flowers once every two weeks.

• If there is no special fertilizer for bromeliads, you can feed it with regular universal fertilizer, reducing the dose by 2 times.
• Fertilizers are applied only foliarly, adding liquid to a funnel or spraying the leaves. There is no point in pouring fertilizer under the roots.
• Vriesia loves moist air, but spraying can lead to the appearance of whitish stains on the leaves. Therefore, the pot with Vriesea is placed on damp expanded clay or in a pot with wet moss.
• You can periodically bathe the flower by pouring it from a watering can or under the shower.

Vriesia loves the humid microclimate created by other plants located around. Feels good and looks great in composition with any indoor crops. Prefers light, breathable peat soil and good drainage. Before the inflorescence appears, it is replanted twice. The pot for transferring should be low with a wide top, and the volume should correspond to the size of the root system. Ceramic flowerpots are preferable, since the leaf rosette can be bulky and heavy, and the root system is too small and light.

• A lightweight plastic container can be constantly turned over; it is better if the vriesia grows in a clay pot that is sufficiently stable.
• Remember: there must be a drainage hole in the bottom of the pot.
• The substrate for Vriesia should be loose and nutritious. You can use regular soil for bromeliads. For epiphytic plants, you can use a mixture of crushed pine bark, sphagnum moss, high peat with the addition of charcoal.
• It is important to remember that Vriesia does not tolerate transplantation well and stops developing.

Transplanting Vriesia after purchase

If replanting is still required, for example, immediately after purchase, it is better to transfer the plant into a larger pot, without destroying the old earthen ball.

• Transplantation is carried out only in the active growth phase.
• Vriesia with a lump of earth is placed in the center of a new container, and the space between the pot and the plant is filled with a new substrate, lightly compacted with a stick.
• Dried tips of leaves and dead inflorescence are removed.
• Wipe the leaves with a damp cloth or sponge a couple of times a month. This has a very beneficial effect on the transplanted flower.

How to transplant Vriesia splenrieta, look at the video:

The flowering period depends on the time of planting and the appearance of regenerating buds, but usually occurs in the summer. The life of Vriesia, like all bromeliads, is very short. It begins with the separation of shoots from the mother plant, and ends with flowering and the formation of new children; the entire cycle usually lasts 2-3 years. Plants grown from seeds bloom only after 10-15 years.

Purchased plants are often sold on the eve of holidays, as is customary in Europe, and they bloom at any time of the year, while those grown independently adapt to the microclimate of your room and rest with the onset of the cold season, and with the arrival of spring they actively increase the vegetative mass and throw them out flower arrow.

Take a closer look at yours, determining its condition in this moment, it’s easier to decide how to care for him - intensively or take a break. After all, active care during the dormant period of your green friend will not lead to anything good. If you keep your pet on a bromeliad tree or other support, then twice a month remove it from the trunk and give it a bath, immersing it completely in clean, settled water until it is saturated with moisture, and then return it to its place. This procedure clears dust from the leaves, enhancing all processes and improving the condition of the plant.

Reproduction of Vriesia by shoots of Vriesia after flowering

Your vriesea has faded and you don’t know what to do? It's simple: care for the plant as usual until its children grow up and the mother plant begins to die. If you do not need seeds, it is better to immediately remove the faded arrow so that it does not take away the strength of the flower. When the children begin to compare in height with the mother bush, it is time to start dividing and planting the children.

The easiest way to propagate Vriesia is by taking it from the mother plant after flowering. They are very carefully separated along with the roots and transplanted into small pots. From the moment of separation, the temperature is maintained at 24 degrees and high humidity for 3 weeks.

You can place containers with babies in translucent plastic bag, leaving a small hole at the top for ventilation. Usually the shoots are separated from the dead rosette when they reach 1/3 of its height. It is better if it is a warm season, when daylight hours are long. If the separation of the children must be done in winter, then for successful rooting it is necessary to organize long daylight hours with the help of fluorescent lamp and bottom heating.

Rooting is slow, do not be alarmed: Vriesia very slowly restores the root system, you just need to wait and not be overzealous with watering, so as not to provoke rotting.

Planted children feel great without watering; it is enough to sometimes pour a small amount of water into the outlet, checking how the plant reacts. Do not allow excess moisture, but do not overdry the soil so that the delicate roots can easily penetrate the substrate. The problem of light moistening can be solved using a conventional spray bottle. Just spray the soil until lightly moistened, noticing that it has dried out.

Vriesia from seeds

Vriesia can be propagated by seeds, which resemble dandelion in appearance. They should be sown on sphagnum moss, filter paper or cotton pads. Seeds are rarely planted. The plantings are placed in a transparent container with a lid, which is placed on the top shelves of the kitchen, where it is warmest. The first shoots appear after two weeks. When replanting, simply carefully cut out a sprout with scissors with a root grown into paper or cotton wool and transfer it to a prepared pot with suitable soil.

There is no need to cover the sprout with soil. Make a small hole and plant the seedling. The soil should be constantly moist, and it is better to close the pot glass jar. Flowering will occur no earlier than in 10 years. To speed up the flowering of an adult specimen, ethylene stimulation is used - an overripe apple, pear or banana is placed near an outlet overnight. You can place the entire plant in a bag of ripe fruit for a while.

Pests and diseases

All failures when growing this extraordinary flower are associated with improper care or placement. The spike-shaped inflorescence rots when the temperature drops below the comfort zone - drain the water from the central funnel and move the flowerpot to a warmer place.

If the leaves dry out

If the tips of the leaf blades become brownish, dry out, or curl, then the humidity in the place where they are kept should be increased.

You can achieve constant sufficient humidity by placing sphagnum moss on top of the soil in the pot. Keep it moist - the evaporation will go to the leaves of the flower, thereby increasing the humidity around the plant.

Vriesia has withered and is covered in cobwebs

Sometimes a spider mite appears. If the leaves wither or have fine cobwebs, treat with an appropriate insecticide. Treatment alone will not be enough, since the drug only affects adult pests. In a few days, new larvae will appear. Therefore, the treatment is repeated no later than after 5 days, until they lay new eggs. It’s best to process it three times.

The insecticide should be changed with each spraying, as pests quickly get used to the poison. In addition to the mite, Vriesea is attacked by various scale insects and scale insects. To get rid of them, you should wipe the leaves alternately with soap and alcohol solution. First, the solution is tested. Just moisten a cotton pad with vodka and wipe one leaf. If after a day it has not changed, you can treat the entire flower. If spots appear on the Vriesia, dilute the vodka with water and repeat the treatment.

Vriesia has a black coating

We usually bring pests into the house with other green pets, purchasing them from garden centers and stores. Each new plant should be created as a kind of quarantine, placing it away from your collection. In greenhouses where flowers are grown, the spread of insects is suppressed with various drugs, but they cannot destroy them all. They will be very happy to move to your copies. It is better to immediately treat the newbie with a complex preparation.

Signs and superstitions about Vriesia

Bright vriesea with powerful, strong leaves symbolizes confidence and purity of thoughts, attracts success, fame, recognition, promoting the comprehensive development of the owner’s personality, and helps get rid of excessive conservatism. Perfectly cleans the indoor air from dust and many harmful substances, moisturizing it.

• Vriesia has active, powerful energy that charges those around with vivacity and love of life, suppresses monotony and monotony.
• Promotes the development of intuition, subtle taste, self-confidence, stimulates the search for new solutions, and gives impetus to the development of abilities.
• It is believed that Vriesea, placed in the bedroom near the bed, is an aphrodisiac that stimulates male potency.
• Once you place this slightly capricious beauty in your home, you will notice many positive changes in your life. A unusual look captivates the hearts of lovers once and for all.

Types of Vriesia with description and photo

Vriesea splendens

Most often found on sale and also called a flaming (blazing) sword. A characteristic feature of this species is a tall, elongated peduncle with tiled bracts. The length of the peduncle with inflorescence can reach 55 cm. The leaves, covered with hard scales, have dark perpendicular lines creating a striped pattern. Considered the best for growing on windows and shelves

Vriesea carinata

A plant with a thin peduncle and pale yellow leaves. Unlike other species, it grows only about 30 cm. It is also a Brazilian, found in two forms - a terrestrial plant and an epiphyte. On a low peduncle reaching 35 cm, a short inflorescence develops, formed by yellow flowers with green tips on short pedicels. There are bracts of leaves with a sharp keel, the top of which is colored yellowish-green. The bracts are pink.

Vriesea gigantea or checkerboard, mosaic

It is distinguished by a large rosette of leaves covered with a golden mesh pattern and a scattering of splashes along the edges. Can reach 1.5 m in diameter. Suitable for common areas.

Vriesea chysostachys

This species can be easily recognized by its long yellow inflorescences and dark burgundy whorl of leaf blades.

Vriesea incurvata

It has small elongated leaves and a short peduncle.

Distinguished by spots on the sepals. The leaves have a huge number of longitudinal and transverse stripes.

The leaves curl downwards, their upper part is covered with ash-colored scales, and the lower part is dotted with brownish lines and spots. This land plant. Gorgeous all year round.

Considered one of the most attractive. On the dark green leaves a very peculiar, beautiful, emerald pattern appears, reminiscent of torn transverse stripes or a pattern of broken Latin letters. Wild species are actively used for breeding cultural hybrids. Specialized stores often offer Vriesia Mix.

It does not occur in nature and was specially bred. These plants are compact, coexist with other house flowers without any problems, bloom consistently, and do not cause any particular trouble. When purchasing, find out what type of vriesia yours is, which will make further care of such a whim much easier.

Vriesea fosteriana

The wide, dense, shiny leaves have a fantastic color: purple-violet at the center of the rosette, towards the edge they acquire a bright green color. The image is completed by feathery white stripes located across the leaf plate. Very beautiful!

Vriesea ospinae

Lemon-yellow spike-shaped inflorescences contrast effectively with massive leaves of variegated striped color with olive, burgundy, and dark green colors. The leaves are wide, dense, with a slight waxy sheen, collected in a dense rosette.

Vriesea hybrid

Hybrid Vriesia is distinguished by its richly bright, massive inflorescences and compact shape. The leaves are usually wide, with a slight shine.