Hi everyone.

haiyoliz - If your plant was in flower when you bought it, there's no way of knowing how long it had already been in flower prior to you getting it.

Given that the green leaves look OK. I would say that it's just a case of the flower dying off after completing it's flowering cycle.

The next thing you should see will be 'offsets' (new growths which are commonly called 'pups') starting to grow from the base of your plant.

These are your future plants which will continue to grow until they mature and eventually flower also.

All the best, Nev.

Thanks for relying so quickly! However, I think this is a young plant. Or at least it should be. It's very small and the other ones being sold were all the same size, none with flowers or dead flowers? I looked up photos and thought they grew taller before being old enough to flower, and had obvious flowers for their one time bloom. I attached a photo of the day I got it, did I overlook its flowers?

Alternatively, if it hasn't flowered, will it still shoot up pups when it gets close to dying? Or will it just die since it's presumably very young?

This post was edited by haiyoliz on Sat, Nov 8, 14 at 21:30

haiyoliz the pink part on top is your flower.
Here in Australia, they force flower them to sell in the shops so they don't grow very big. They are a throw away.
You will get pups around the base of the mum. Either take them off when they are about 1/3 size of mum or let them grow and cut out the mum later. You will have a lovely flowering plant in a couple of years which ever you do and they will probably be much bigger.
Let your plant dry a little between waterings as this could be causing your problems and add a small amount of fertiliser when the pups appear.

Oooh okay wow thank you so much! That is a relief to know I didn't just kill it, and also sad that they sell it that way, thought I would get a few years before it flowered! Oh well at least now I can rest easy :)

Here in Texas the guzmania is a floral plant and sold in bloom. They are kinda dull when not in bloom and our heat is a killer for most all of the guzimania. A few can be grown outdoors in the shade and protected in winter.

As sunshine said, they force them to flower. Ive brought a few nice Vrieseas that have flowered way to early so the mother plant is only a 1/3 of the size it should be. Sometimes the pups absorb some of the fertiliser too so it can even stunt the 2nd generation. My Vrieseas are now 3rd generation and alot bigger than the original mother.
Tim

Thank you for everyone's replies! I have been keeping an eye out for pups and saw three hidden in the outer leaves! They are about half an inch tall. Sunshine suggested adding some fertilizer when they appear. What type would be best so I don't burn the new pups?

You can use a high nitrogen liquid fertiliser at 1/4 strength. Are you familiar with NPK ratios? Only put fertiliser around base of plant. Not in the cup or vase of bromeliads.

You can foliar feed if you have good light and air circulation. This is the way the growers bring them along so quickly. The leafy plants do fine with foliar feeding. 10% strength.

I just use about about a level teaspoon of 3mth fertiliser around the potting mix. Guzmanias are hungry plants. Mum is now slowly going to die so will not effect her.

What one do you use sunshine? A new Osmocote seems to come out every month. Im trying to get more pups from my V. fosteriana mother.
thanks
Tim

I just use an all purpose one that I use on normal pot plants from Bunnings.