You will have to pay carefully and painstaking care behind the plant. Vriesia is even more capricious in care than its relatives, who are also not distinguished by their simplicity and undemandingness.

Vriesia: care at home

Content temperature

Vriesia loves warmth. But it is warmth, heat that is contraindicated for her. Increasing the temperature above +27 degrees can even destroy the plant. The optimal temperature at which Vriesia will feel good is within +18-22 degrees. This temperature can be maintained throughout the year, although in winter a short drop to +15-16 degrees is acceptable. Lower temperatures, even for a very short time, can also lead to the death of the plant.

Lighting

Vriesia prefers a lot of light, all year round. Window seats facing east and west summer time will be most suitable for this indoor plant. If the window, for example, is south-east, then it is also suitable for placing a vriesea near it, but in this case it is possible that large quantities sun rays. The flower must be protected from them. In winter, when the sun is less active, a south-facing window is also quite suitable.

Watering and air humidity

In terms of watering, Vriesia is no different from other bromeliads. The main watering is into an outlet. But the soil in the pot should also be watered regularly. In this case, the following must be strictly observed: Vriesia watering rules:

• When the Vriesia inflorescence begins to grow, you should never pour water into the outlet. It must be dry, otherwise the inflorescence may rot.
• Water should not stagnate in the outlet. It must be changed periodically (every three days). The easiest way is to remove old water from the outlet using a paper napkin, and then fill it with fresh water.
• While maintaining the recommended temperature, on average, the regularity of watering the soil in summer should be three to four times a week.
• In winter, watering Vriesia is significantly reduced! When kept in slightly cooler conditions, the outlet is not watered at all. At normal temperatures, you can fill the Vriesia outlet with water, but 4-5 hours after filling, the water must be drained (soaked with a napkin).
• Watering the soil in a pot with vriesea in winter mainly depends on the volume of the pot and the air temperature in the room. On average, it happens no more than a couple times a week.
• Water for watering Vriesia must be warm - if possible, even a degree or two above room temperature. At the same time, it should be soft and free of lime. You can read how to prepare water for irrigation (soften it).
• Be sure to drain any water that has flowed into the pan.

Air humidity for vriesia should be maintained slightly elevated. Spray it regularly. But to achieve a greater effect, place the pot with the plant in a deep tray with wet expanded clay or pebbles (for more details -).

Top dressing

Transfer

This indoor plant does not need frequent transplants. The only exceptions are young vriesias that have not yet bloomed. When they are actively developing and preparing to flower, a couple of transplants may be needed. Mature plant, you can even keep them in the same soil for up to five years. But it is not advisable to allow such extremes. Replant vriesea every two to three years.

Although, as already mentioned, root system This indoor plant plays a secondary role in its nutrition; it is better to use the most suitable soil for Vriesia. You can buy a ready-made soil mixture for bromeliads, or you can make a simple mixture yourself, at home. For this To two parts of leaf soil, one part of turf soil, peat and sand is added. It is advisable to add chopped (one part) if possible.

Reproduction of Vriesia

There are two ways to do this. First - propagation of Vriesia by seeds, by amateur flower growers, and especially by beginners, it is used extremely rarely. Even if caring for Vriesea is ideal, it is extremely difficult to obtain seeds from it (and even then it is easier and faster to grow). Seeds available for sale, in most cases, are “wasted money.” But if you still managed to get vriesia from a seed, you can wait up to 10 years (!) for it to bloom.

But the second method is what suits us quite well. Reproduction of Vriesia by shoots (children), the most common method among all categories of gardeners. The mother plant produces shoots after flowering, but while they are young and have not grown their roots, there is no need to touch them. Wait a year, or even two. Typically, the shoot that has roots suitable for transplantation is one third the size of the mother plant.

For young plant it is best to prepare the soil from the mixture three parts of leaf soil, pine bark and sand - one part each.

For the period while the shoot takes root in a new place, it needs to create special, greenhouse conditions. If there is no special greenhouse or transparent cap suitable size, you can build an improvised greenhouse from a PE bag. The temperature during this period is needed slightly higher than for adult vriesea by several degrees (+23-24 degrees). Usually, a maximum of a month is enough for the shoot to take root and become a young vriesea. This plant blooms in four to five years..

This period usually occurs during summer time. But if you grew it yourself, then it will mainly depend on what time you planted it. If caring for vriesia at home was correct, all rules were followed, then flowering occurs without problems. So it is considered... But it also happens the other way around, even with all the efforts - Vriesia does not bloom! What to do in this case? There is one proven way to make bromeliads bloom. Ethylene gas, which is released by apples during ripening and storage, will help with this. If you put a couple of apples near the plant and cover everything together with a PE bag for a couple of weeks, then the Vriesia should definitely bloom in 2-4 months. But most common cause, why Vriesia does not bloom - the air temperature is too low before flowering. Usually this reason is easily determined. Although flowering does not occur, the children begin to grow actively, which is actually not bad either...

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Vriesia is a rather beautiful, but at the same time completely unpretentious bromeliad plant. It is perfect for breeding in 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, native to Central and South America. IN indoor floriculture Only some 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. Its popularity among flower growers this type deserves its simplicity 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 in color with a gray coating 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 does not like too high temperatures and direct rays of the sun. But, nevertheless, she needs to provide good lighting, so the eastern or western side of the room is good for her.

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

Since Vriesia is a resident of the tropics, keeping it indoors requires the presence of high humidity. 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 natural conditions Because Vriesia is accustomed to the presence of large amounts of water, 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, as a rule, during its flowering period. After two to three months, the lateral shoots 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

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 in individual 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 of plants obtained by seed should be expected 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 vriesia is necessary.

Vriesia does not bloom

If the flowering of Vriesia does not occur at the appointed time, you can use the following technique. 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.

Problems during cultivation:

• If Vriesia dries out, this indicates insufficient watering and too dry indoor air;
• 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 in this case should be sprayed 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 a pleasant viewing.

Planting and caring for vriesea (in brief)

• Bloom: for several months in February-April or May-July.
• Lighting: bright diffused light, light partial shade (eastern or western window sills with shading in the summer from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
• Temperature: 25-30 ˚C in summer, 18-22 ˚C in winter.
• Watering: watering is carried out into a funnel formed by leaves - a tank, but if the room temperature is below 20 ˚C, the water must be poured out of the funnel. At lower temperatures, water is poured not into the funnel, but into the substrate. In the warm season, the soil in the pot should be slightly moist all the time; in winter, the top layer of the substrate should be allowed to dry.
• Air humidity: increased – 60-70%. It is recommended to spray Vriesia twice a day, but so that water does not get on the flowers. The potted plant can be kept on a tray of wet pebbles or in a terrarium.
• Feeding: during the growing season, once every two weeks, apply fertilizer for bromeliad crops or for flowering plants with a reduced nitrogen component. During the dormant period, fertilizers are not needed.
• Rest period: After flowering, the rosette dies and the plant goes into a dormant period.
• Transfer: young vriesia is replanted 1-2 times before the formation of inflorescences, an adult - once every 3-4 years. Transplantation is carried out during active growth- in spring and summer.
• Reproduction: seed and vegetative - shoots.
• Pests: mealybugs and rootbugs, palm, comb, bromeliad or black scale insects, spider mites.
• Diseases: root rot, tank rotting, sooty fungus.

Read more about growing Vriesia below.

Vriesia flower - description

The Vriesia flower is an epiphyte, and its roots serve only as an attachment to the substrate, since they have practically lost their absorption function. The belt-shaped, curved leaves of Vriesia with smooth edges are collected in rosettes. In some species, the leaves are decorated with multi-colored stripes or covered with scales. The leaf sheaths tightly cover each other, forming a cistern - a container for rainwater, and in some species it reaches a volume of five liters. On a peduncle sometimes more than a meter long, a spike-shaped inflorescence with orange, green, yellow or red bracts is formed, which do not lose their attractiveness for several months. The flowering of Vriesea is a beautiful sight, but each species blooms at its own time. The fruit of Vriesia is a capsule with tufted seeds. Indoor vriesia is represented by such species as brilliant or flaming vriesia, Fostera, keeled, as well as their varieties and hybrids.

Caring for Vriesia at home

How to care for vriesea

Since vriesea loves diffused light and does not tolerate direct rays, window sills facing east or west are more suitable for it, and in the summer, domestic vriesea needs shading from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., since the leaves and inflorescences of the plant fade in the sun . Vriesia species with thin, soft or variegated leaves need more reliable protection from the sun than species with dense leaves, since burns may occur on them.

The optimal temperature for vriesia in summer is 25-30 ºC, and in winter 18-22 ºC will be enough for it, the main thing is that the temperature of the soil in the pot does not fall below 18 ºC.

During growing season indoor flower Vriesia needs to be fed with special fertilizers for bromeliads, but if necessary, you can use fertilizers for ornamental flowering plants in half the dose. Choose fertilizers in which the nitrogen component is reduced, since excess nitrogen, as well as the presence of calcium in the soil, are detrimental to Vriesea.

Watering vriesia

Watering vriesia is a specific procedure. In the summer into the funnel flowering plant pour clean, soft, warm water, however, you need to make sure that it does not stagnate. If the room temperature drops below 20 ºC, the water from the funnel must be poured out. The substrate in the pot is kept moist during the warm season, but it is very important to prevent the roots from becoming waterlogged. If you placed the vriesea on a bromeliad tree, once a decade, remove it from the support and lower it into clean, settled water so that the plant is saturated with moisture, then remove it, let the water drain and again strengthen the vriesea on the support. In winter, if you keep the plant cool, do not pour water into the tank, and water the substrate infrequently and very carefully. But if Vriesia, after flowering, overwinters in the room where they work heating devices, the substrate is watered regularly as the top layer of soil dries, and you can pour water into the funnel, especially if the vriesea blooms again.

The air humidity around the vriesea must be maintained within 60-70%, for which the plant is sprayed twice a day, avoiding water getting on the flowers - this causes brown spots to form on them. Vriesia growing in a pot can be kept on a tray with damp pebbles, moss or expanded clay, but the bottom of the pot should not touch the water. The leaves of the plant are wiped from dust with a damp sponge. The optimal air humidity for Vriesea can be achieved by placing it in a terrarium. For anyone water procedure you need settled or filtered water 2-3 degrees warmer than the room temperature.

Vriesia transplantation

An adult vriesia is replanted infrequently, once every three to four years, but a young one will have to be replanted once or twice before it first forms an inflorescence, and replanting is carried out only during the period of active growth - in spring or summer. The substrate for Vriesea is prepared from two parts of leaf soil, one part of turf soil, and one part of peat and sand is added to the soil mixture. An additive such as chopped moss wouldn’t hurt either. An acceptable option is a soil mixture of three parts of leaf soil with the addition of one part each of sand, crushed rhizomes of ferns, sphagnum moss and pine bark. Although you can also use commercial soil for bromeliads. The container for Vriesia should not be deep, since the roots of the plant are poorly developed. Take a wide bowl, place a layer of expanded clay or small garden gravel on its bottom, then add a layer of soil, transfer the Vriesia from the old pot to the new one and add enough soil mixture so that there are no voids left in the pot. Be careful because the plant's roots are very fragile.

A wooden cut or driftwood decorated with blooming vriesea looks impressive. In order to create such a composition, the roots of the plant are wrapped in sphagnum moss and attached to its support with wire or thick nylon thread. On a large dry branch, you can place several vriesea along with other epiphytes to create a bromeliad tree.

Vriesia pests and diseases

Vriesia, like other bromeliads, is quite resistant to disease, but improper care and non-compliance with growing rules weaken the plant, and then it can be affected by fungal or viral disease. What problems do gardeners who grow Vriesia face?

• – The peduncle and inflorescence rot. This happens when the room is cool and there is too much water in the funnel. A badly rotting plant cannot be cured, but try draining the water from the tank and raising the air temperature - perhaps the plant will be able to recover.
• – The ends of the leaves dry out, darken and curl - these are signs of too dry air in the room. It is necessary to spray the vriesea daily or place it on a tray with wet pebbles. It is possible that there is no water in the outlet either - check. And, by the way, do not forget that the water should sit for at least 24 hours before watering.
• – Light brown spots on the leaves indicate that the Vriesea has received sunburn. The plant should not be in direct sunlight.
• – Retarded growth and development is a sign of hypothermia, excess moisture in the substrate and in the outlet, or insufficient air humidity.
• – Not long ago we were asked what to do if the peduncle of the vriesea has dried up. Apparently, the flowering has come to an end, and in such cases the vriesea dries out, and soon the rosette of leaves will also die. Nothing unusual - a natural biological process. Start growing a new flower from the offspring.
• – If a black sooty film forms on the upper side of the leaves and on the shoots of Vriesia, it must be removed with a swab of soapy water, since the coating of sooty fungus disrupts the supply of oxygen to plant cells and inhibits the process of photosynthesis, and this can weaken the plant.
• – Vriesia leaves turn yellow, dry out and curl due to the invasion of scale insects - bromeliads, palm, comb or black. The plant begins to lag behind in growth and loses its external attractiveness. They get rid of scale insects by wiping the leaves with a swab soaked in soapy water or alcohol, and if there are too many scale insects, you will have to resort to treating the vriesea with Karbofos or Actellik.
• – Problems with Vriesea occur from mealybugs or rootbugs. Root pests lay eggs at the base of the plant, and as a result, the Vriesea rots. The coexistence of a plant with mealybugs leads to a lag in development, loss of decorativeness and the appearance of sooty fungus. All visible accumulations of pests must be removed with a soft swab soaked in soapy water, cologne or alcohol, and from places where the swab cannot be reached, the worms must be removed with an ear stick. Karbofos copes well with pests.
• – Sometimes a thin web appears on the leaves of Vriesia, which is produced by red spider mites that settle on the ground parts of the plant. The leaves become transparent and spots form on them. Fight with spider mites It is carried out in the same way as with scale insects and scale insects.

If you decide to resort to treating Vriesea with chemicals, make sure that they do not get into the soil - cover the surface of the substrate with polyethylene during processing.

Vriesia plant - reproduction

Reproduction of Vriesia is carried out by generative and vegetative methods.

Propagation of Vriesia by seeds

Vriesia seeds, washed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate and then dried, are sown in a mixture of peat and sand or in crushed sphagnum moss, covered with glass and kept at a temperature of 22-24 ºC. Shoots appear in 10-20 days, and after 2-2.5 months the seedlings dive into a soil mixture of the following composition: turf soil - one part, leaf soil - two parts and peat - four parts. After six months, the seedlings are planted in separate containers and cared for like adult plants. Vriesia from seeds will bloom in 3-4 years.

Reproduction of Vriesia by shoots

When, after the end of flowering, the Vriesea rosette and peduncle die off, renewal buds awaken on the root collar, which produce offspring. After a month or two, several leaves and weak roots form on the offspring, but it is better not to separate them yet, but to wait until the children reach a height of a third of the mother plant. After about a year, the shoots are carefully separated from the mother plant and planted in sphagnum or a soil mixture of leaf soil, sand and pine bark in a ratio of 3:1:1, placed at a temperature of 26-28 ºC and covered with a transparent plastic bag. After the shoots take root, which usually happens after a month, the polyethylene is removed so that the plants get used to the conditions.

Types and varieties of Vriesia

Conventionally, plant species are divided into those with monochromatic green leaves and those with variegated leaves.

Vriesia with green leaves is represented by the following species:

grows naturally in the tropical forests of Eastern Brazil both as an epiphyte and as a terrestrial plant. Forming a funnel, soft, wide-linear pale green leaves up to 20 cm long and 5 cm wide on both sides of the plate are covered with almost imperceptible scales. A thin drooping or straight peduncle, reaching a height of 30 cm, is crowned by a few-flowered, wide and short, almost square inflorescence 4-5 cm long with erect, thin, very narrow, bright red color with a green or yellow tip and edges of bracts with a sharp keel. . Yellow flowers with green tips on short stalks bloom in June or July. Repeated flowering in November-December. The species has been in cultivation since 1866. There are many known hybrids of Vriesia keelata, characterized by long-lasting flowering;

Royal Vriesea regina

or royal Tillandsia, also a Brazilian plant with glossy grayish-green large leaves up to one and a half meters long and up to 18 cm wide. The peduncle of this species sometimes reaches a height of two meters. The inflorescences are a branched drooping panicle. The flowers of plants of this species are fragrant, first white, then turning yellow. The pink bracts are boat-shaped;

Vriesia mix– original indoor plant with shiny bright green leaves and an inflorescence that looks like lush bouquet. The color of the bracts represents a whole palette of shades of yellow and red;

from the same places in Brazil. Its leaves are linear, oblong, entire, pointed, widened at the base. The peduncle is bright red. Flowers with a yellow calyx, green corolla and narrow petals; the bracts are red at the bottom and yellow-orange at the top.

Types of Vriesia with variegated leaves:

Vriesia splendor

or beautiful (Vriesea splendens) , or Vriesia splenrieta , grows in the tropics of Venezuela on trees or in soil and is a plant with tiger leaves - horizontal purple stripes along the green field. The wide, belt-shaped leaves with curved edges and a pointed tip reach 40 cm in length; they are covered with scales on both sides and collected in a funnel-shaped rosette, above which a meter-high peduncle rises. The inflorescence is a simple spike with yellow flowers and red-orange or bright red bracts, which, unlike flowers, remain fresh for a long time - up to two months. For the brightness of its bracts and large, showy inflorescence, Vriesea brilliantis is called the “fiery sword.” Forms with different leaf colors are grown in culture;

grows naturally in Brazil. The plates, smooth on the upper side and finely scaly on the lower side, are light green leaves with dark green veins, forming a pattern of longitudinal and transverse stripes, collected in a funnel-shaped rosette. The leaves reach 40 cm in length, 6-6.5 cm in width, the top of the leaves is red Brown. The inflorescence is up to 50 cm in height and up to 9 cm in width and consists of pale yellow flowers and bracts covered with dark brown and green spots;

it is also mosaic or chess, a plant from the Brazilian tropics. A rosette of short belt-shaped dark green leaves with light yellow spots on the upper side of the plate and red-lilac spots on the bottom form a goblet-shaped rosette. A weakly branched paniculate inflorescence with wide yellow flowers sometimes reaches 2 m in height together with the peduncle, however, this species is difficult to grow indoors, and it rarely blooms indoors;

Vriesea saundersii

a plant from the rocks of South-East Brazil with a wide rosette up to 60 cm high from whole curved leaves up to 30 cm long and about 5 cm wide. On the upper side of the leaf blade there are densely ash scales and brown dots, and the lower side of the blade is spotted. A loose paniculate few-flowered inflorescence up to 14 cm long, located on a strong peduncle and decorated with rounded two-row keeled bracts of a yellow or pale green hue, blooms in October or December;

is a plant reaching a height of one meter. It has a short hollow stem and bright green shiny leaves with a V-shaped yellow pattern, reaching a width of 8 and a length of 75 cm. They are arched and form a basal rosette. Inflorescences of yellow flowers and green bracts rise on peduncles to a height of up to 50 cm. There are hybrids with bright red or fiery yellow bracts.

In addition to those described, Foster's and large vriesea are grown in culture, as well as many hybrids of the species that we have presented to you.

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. Bracts are colored 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 splenriet, 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 potted plant to an open balcony, but avoid exposure to sunlight.

Vriesia lighting

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

Watering vriesia at home

Watering of Vriesia is maintained at a moderate level all year round. 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’s 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. 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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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 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. Distinctive feature- 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.
3. 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.
4. 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. Royal.
5. Very large, beautiful variety. Distinctive feature - large leaves grey-green tint. Inflorescence paniculate: flowers yellow-white, bracts pink. Perforated. Not only does it stand out beautiful flowering, but also
6. unusual leaves
7. . 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

yellow flowers with greenish spotted bracts. The inflorescence characteristic of the species is spike-shaped. 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. 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 is a tropical plant.. 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. Regular root dressings do not apply. 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 application 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 transplants. After flowering, the main leaf rosette dies off. If after it many daughter shoots appear, they are planted in different pots

to avoid excessive bush density. 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? Main difference from- water 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. It is not recommended to immediately separate them from the mother plant - 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, inadequate water quality, 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

External signs	Care error	Ways to solve the problem
Faded brown spots on foliage	- Keeping in the open sun without shading (sunburn)	- Midday shading with light tulle
Dry brown spots on the tips and edges of leaves	- Hard water with a high salt content; - improper watering (no water in the outlet)	- Water settling or softening (you can use aquarium products); - Watering directly into the outlet (except for the flowering period)
No flowering	- Cold or heat; - Inappropriate soil composition; - dry air	- Maintaining the recommended temperature range; - regular spraying of vriesea; - laying ripe fruits on the surface of the soil to stimulate flowering
Slow growth	- Dry air; - low temperature; - pests; - unbalanced diet	- Using fertilizer for orchids; - maintenance optimal temperature; - regular spraying; - inspection for pests
Vriesia rotting	- Fungus; - stagnation of water under cool conditions; - soil dampness	- Regular water change; - exclusion of watering inside the outlet
Short flowering	- Drops falling on the inflorescence	- Avoiding water getting on flowers during flowering
Fading of the plant	- Lack of lighting	- Place in a sunny place, but shade in hot weather
Drying of the peduncle and leaves	- Natural process (after flowering the main rosette dies)	- Removing a dried socket
Death of a non-flowering plant	- Excessive soil moisture - Drying the soil;	- Drying the soil; - normalization of the watering regime

Common Pests

Quite often, Vriesea is attacked by pests. Regular inspection of leaves for insects helps to avoid severe damage. preventative treatment low doses of insecticides. 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

Insect name	Symptoms of the lesion	Fighting methods
Bromeliad scale	- Brown bumps (plaques); - yellowing, wilting of leaves	- Insect removal mechanically: alcohol wipe or toothbrush; - treatment with the drug “Aktara” or “Aktellik” (ten drops per half liter of water)
Mealybug	- Lumps at the base of the leaves, resembling cotton wool; - deformation, yellowing and drying of leaves	- Spraying with a solution of Fitoverm or Aktara preparations; - use of karbofos emulsion when there is an abundance of insects
Spider mite	- Whitish spots on the foliage; - barely noticeable cobwebs; - growth slowdown	- Spraying with Zolon or Decis; - increasing humidity, periodically bathing in a warm shower
Root mealybug	- Root rotting; - laying of eggs near the root collar, discovered during transplantation	- Reducing watering; - treatment of vriesia and soil with the preparation “Fazalon” or “Karbofos”

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. Characterized by the appearance of transparent blisters on sheet plates. In both cases, treatment consists of repeated spraying of Vriesia with systemic fungicides.

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