Guzmania guide
Guzmania lingulata, also called scarlet star, tufted airplant
Published 2026-11-08
Quick care
- Light
- Bright indirect
- Water
- Keep a little water in the center cup. Keep the soil just damp.
- Humidity
- Average room air is fine. More helps.
- Temperature
- 16 to 27°C (60 to 80°F). Keep above 13°C (55°F).
- Soil
- Chunky orchid bark mix
- Feeding
- Quarter-strength fertilizer monthly in spring and summer, on the soil
- Pets
- Non-toxic to cats and dogs
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Mature size
- 30 to 60 cm (1 to 2 ft) tall and wide
- Propagation
- Pot up the pups that grow at the base
- Where to buy
- Common
This page covers what makes guzmania different. For light, water, soil, pests, and the rest, read the bromeliad care guide.
What it is
Guzmania is the most common bromeliad in stores. It has a rosette of glossy, strap-like green leaves with a tall, star-shaped spike in the center. The spike is red, orange, yellow, pink, or purple. Those colored parts are bracts, not petals. The real flowers are small and white. Select-A-Plant lists it at 30 to 60 cm (1 to 2 ft) tall, from the Costa Farms line.
How to tell it apart
| Plant | Center | The tell |
|---|---|---|
| Guzmania | Star-shaped spike of bracts | Soft, glossy leaves and a star |
| Flaming sword | Flat, sword-shaped red spike | Flat spike and banded leaves |
| Urn plant | Pink spiky bloom from a silver urn | Stiff, silver-banded leaves |
Care differences
Care is the same as the hub. The color lasts two to four months.
After it blooms
Each rosette blooms once, then dies over several months. That is normal. Before it goes, it makes pups at the base. Cut the old rosette off once the pups are one third its size. Each pup can bloom in one to three years.
Buying it
Guzmania is sold everywhere. Pick a plant with a bright, fresh spike. Buy it for the color now. Grow the pups for later.