How to Grow and Care for Queen’s Tears Bromeliad
Explore complete care for the resilient Queen's Tears Bromeliad. This guide covers its unique needs, from its distinct watering method to its natural life cycle.
The Queen’s Tears bromeliad, or Billbergia nutans, is a resilient houseplant from South America. Its common name comes from the nectar drops that can fall from its colorful flowers when moved. The plant features long, slender leaves forming a vase-like shape, making it a graceful addition to any indoor space. Its adaptability and simple care make it an excellent choice for beginners.
Queen’s Tears Bromeliad Care Guide
Light
This plant thrives in bright, indirect sunlight. An ideal location is near an east-facing window that receives gentle morning sun or a few feet away from a more intense south or west-facing window. While it can adapt to lower light conditions, it may not produce its signature flowers. Too much direct sunlight is harmful, causing scorch marks on the foliage.
Water
Watering this bromeliad is unique as it is an epiphyte, absorbing moisture through its leaves. Keep the central cup or “tank” formed by the leaves filled with water. Flush this central well every one to two weeks to prevent stagnation. Use room-temperature rainwater or distilled water, as these plants can be sensitive to chemicals in tap water. The potting medium should be kept lightly moist but never waterlogged to prevent root rot.
Potting Mix
Standard potting soil is unsuitable as it retains too much moisture. An airy, well-draining mix is required to keep the roots healthy. You can use a commercial mix designed for bromeliads or orchids, or create your own by combining one part multi-purpose compost with one part fine-grade orchid bark.
Temperature and Humidity
Queen’s Tears prefers warm temperatures, ideally between 65-80°F (18-27°C). It tolerates average household humidity but will flourish with more moisture. If you notice the tips of the leaves turning brown, it is a sign of dry air. Increase humidity by misting the leaves or placing the pot on a tray of pebbles with water.
Fertilizer
These plants are not heavy feeders, so fertilize sparingly. During the spring and summer growing season, apply a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer diluted to half or quarter strength every two to four weeks. Apply it to the potting mix and as a foliar spray on the leaves. Do not pour fertilizer into the central cup, as the salts can burn new growth.
Encouraging Your Bromeliad to Bloom
A Queen’s Tears bromeliad must be mature before it can flower, which takes two to three years. If a healthy, mature plant has not bloomed, you can encourage it with ethylene gas. Place the entire plant inside a large, clear plastic bag with a ripe apple for seven to ten days. The apple releases ethylene gas, which acts as a trigger to initiate flowering.
Keep the bagged plant out of direct sunlight to prevent overheating. After removing the bag, a flower stalk should emerge from the center within one to two months. The distinctive weeping flowers will follow. Another method to prompt blooming is to add a pinch of Epsom salts to the water in early spring.
Propagating Queen’s Tears Pups
Bromeliads are monocarpic, meaning the mother plant flowers once and then gradually declines. This is a natural process. As the parent plant fades, it focuses its energy on producing new offshoots, called “pups,” at its base.
Wait until the pups are about one-third to one-half the size of the parent plant before separating them. Use a clean, sharp knife to cut the pup away from the mother, including some roots if possible. Pot the new pup in a small container with the same well-draining bromeliad mix.
Solving Common Problems
If the base of the plant becomes soft or discolored, this indicates root rot from overwatering the soil. Common pests like mealybugs appear as white, cottony masses. Treat them by dabbing the affected areas with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol.