Bromeliads with Bright Star Flowers

Officially winter does not start till December 21st, but in tropical Florida, the Thanksgiving weekend is the start of the holiday season. It is also the time to check out gift plants for the season and though the poinsettia with its red bracts represents tradition – there remain many noteworthy alternatives.

My favorite is a member of the bromeliad family – Guzmania lingulata. Its common name is the “Scarlet Star,” with long, flat, glossy green leaves and smooth margins. When decorating for Christmas, we tend to showcase the Christmas star – a major symbol for Christmas worldwide and a good reason to add Guzmania to your plant collection – each plant has its own colorful set of stars.

The leaves come together to form a star shape in the middle and what is commonly mistaken as a flower is actually the bract, which is a grouping of modified leaves. I am sure you’ve seen them in mass displays at your local nurseries and even at the plant or cut flower section of your supermarkets. 

There are over 3,700 species in the bromeliad family and there is nothing more eye-catching than a flowering Guzmania lingulata.

Hybridists have been working their magic in producing impressive Guzmanias with an array of bract colors. The star-shaped flowers come in amazing colors of red, pink, purple, yellow, orange, white and even a bi-color shade of white and light pink. At the tip of each bract is the real flower in hues of white or yellow. Red is among the most popular color for the holiday season.

There are also variegated forms of Guzmania which offer beautiful flowers surrounded by white and green striped leaves. In the tropics, bromeliads grow well attached to trees and are called epiphytic plants. They do not need soil to grow – they are actually large air plants as the roots never reach the ground or soil.

Guzmanias are also called “vase plants” due to their vase-like growing habit. They

are tough and very resilient and after the flower bract dies back, just cut off low in the cup and the mother plant will soon die back. But not before a new “pup” or plantlet emerges. Many bromeliads have spines along their leaves, but the Guzmania’s leaves are smooth.

You can grow them indoors by a bright window with an eastern or a western exposure or outside on your porch or lanai. Once the soil, which is usually bark or moss, dries out, just water it and make sure to fill the “cups” at the base of the leaves.

For me, they are better than poinsettias for the holidays –the blooms last a long time. Some will retain their bloom for up to four months! Once the holidays are over, Guzmanias are not needy plants and require less maintenance. They do not need fertilizing to survive and are quite hardy on their own. 

While selecting your holiday bromeliads consider a combination of colors other than just red. Make sure you choose a size that fits your space. They do grow “pups,” and you can always transplant the original plant into a bigger container. They will make a stunning outdoor display on your porch or patio which you will enjoy long after the holiday season is over.

Go beyond traditional plants in your holiday home décor, centerpieces and holiday plant giving. Arrange several Guzmania of varying heights and colors and add decorations around the base of the pot such as berries, pinecones or wreaths. 

Also, check out the Marco Farmers’ Market for more color selections. Besides being an eco-friendly gift, it is also child and pet-friendly! The plant does not contain toxins that can cause irritation to your pets or curious children.