Twine – A natural jute twine is organic material that will rot away on its own. Here we list some common materials and why we like or dislike each one. Even the slightest sway from a breeze can jar it and prevent the roots from attaching.īecause of this it is important to use the right material to attach a bromeliad to any surface. Materials that can be used to mountīromeliads will not be able to attach onto any surface if it is able to move. This allows the bromeliad to spend energy growing new roots rather. Remove any dead leaves or flowers and then prune the roots back as much as possible. This will give you more area to work with as you attach it. If you are taking a new cutting to mount, make sure to get enough of the stem. The roots will grow to support the weight as the plant itself grows later on. If it is too large it will be top heavy and not attach properly. Select a bromeliad that is small enough to be supported by only its stem. Bromeliads are much less likely to attach if there is too much salt and their roots could become dehydrated. If that isn’t possible, leave it in an area that gets hit with sprinklers or at least spray it with a hose several times to remove as much as possible. This helps to keep the plant safe from diseases and gives it a nice surface to grow into.Īny driftwood that was taken from the beach or ocean should be soaked in fresh water for at least a day to remove salt from the surface. Scrub off any moss or fungi with a brush and spray the area with a hose. Make sure whatever surface you are going to mount any bromeliad to is clean and clear of any other organic material. They can also be used to cover unsightly surfaces. This makes it pretty easy to take new pups that stick out away from the trunk as well.Ī growing trend in South Florida is to create bromeliad trees from driftwood for use as decoration in a lanai or around a swimming pool. By mounting just a few bromeliads, they will eventually pup and cover a large part of the trunk. Large chunks of bark and cork are also good surfaces and can be used to hang plants on walls or from ceilings.Ī basic idea is to use them on palms or other tall trees that have bare trunks. Mounting bromeliads in your landscapeīromeliads love to grow on rough, acidic surfaces, making trees, logs, and driftwood ideal to mount to. All you need is the right surface and materials. Mounting bromeliads in your own landscape is pretty easy to do.
Because of this, bromeliads will naturally fasten to and grow on trees and other debris in the wild.
While their roots can draw water and nutrients, they typically serve as a plant’s ‘anchor’, attaching and holding it place. Bromeliads are a type of plant called epiphytes, which means that they draw moisture from the air and don’t need to be in soil to survive.