How to Grow Guzmania Cherry House Plants

Guzmania is a member of the Bromeliad family.

A Belgian-grown hybrid, the Guzmania cherry plant produces long spineless leaves that come to a point at the tip. A member of the Bromeliad family of plants, Guzmania cherries reach heights of 18 inches at maturity, developing bright-red flowers known as inflorescence, that grow from thick, elongated stems. Guzmania thrives indoors as a container grown house plant, provided it receives proper care.

Things You'll Need

• Pot
• Organic potting soil
• Baking tray
• Pea gravel
• Plant heating pad
• Fertilizer

Instructions

1. Choose a pot that measures slightly larger than the size of the Guzmania cherry plant's root ball. There should be at least a 2-inch gap between the walls of the pot and the root ball and drainage holes should be present in the bottom of the pot.

2. Fill the pot ¾ full with organic potting soil. Form a depression in the center of the soil using your hands and set the Guzmania cherry in the center. Pat the soil around the main stem of the plant.

3. Water the Guzmania cherry house plant deeply, immediately after planting. Allow the water to flow through the layers of soil and out the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. Water the plant each time the top 1 inch of soil dries out.

4. Supply the Guzmania cherry with bright, indirect sunlight. Choose a southern, eastern or western facing window to display the house plant. Direct sunlight burns the foliage.

5. Line a baking tray with pea gravel and add just enough water to wet the bottom of the gravel. Set the Guzmania cherry house plant on the tray, which will provide the plant with necessary, daily humidity.

6. Maintain an indoor temperature of 75 degrees F during the day and 65 degrees F at night. If temperatures fluctuate in your home, slip a plant heating pad under the tray, set to the required temperature.

7. Feed the Guzmania cherry house plant a diet of all-purpose, water-soluble fertilizer. Follow the packaging instructions for allocation amounts. Most Guzmania varieties appreciate a monthly dose of fertilizer.

Tips & Warnings

• Set the house plant under horticultural lighting if you are unable to supply bright, indirect sunlight. Run the fluorescent bulbs for a minimum of 12 hours per day.

• Refrain from over-watering the Guzmania cherry. Check the moisture content of the soil before each watering. If the soil feels moist at a depth of 1 inch, do not add more water.

References

• Plants in Design: Caring for Bromeliads and Orchids
• Botony: Guzmania

Resources

• Cloud Jungle: Guzmania