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    Home»Bromeliad»Guzmania Musaica Indoor Care Guide

    Guzmania Musaica Indoor Care Guide

    A Unique and Beautiful Burst of Color for the Home or Office
    By Milo MasonMay 26, 2022
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    Guzmania musaica is a species of flowering plant in the Bromeliaceae family. It is native to Central America and northern South America. The plant is an evergreen perennial with a rosette of leaves at the base and produces an upright spike of flowers. The flowers are bracts (modified leaves) that come in different colors, including red, orange, yellow, and white.

    IN THIS ARTICLE
    • Guzmania Musaica Main Characteristics
    • Guzmania Musaica Indoor Care
      • Light and Location
      • Watering
      • Temperature
      • Humidity
      • Fertilizer
    • Propagating Guzmania Musaica
    • Potting and Repotting Guzmania
    • Guzmania Musaica Care: How To Keep Your Plant thriving? (Video)
    • Toxicity

    Guzmania Musaica Main Characteristics

    Common NameMosaic Vase, Guzmania
    Botanical NameGuzmania musaica
    SynonymsTillandsia musaica, Billbergia musaica, Caraguata musaica, Massangea musaica, Tillandsia mosaic, Guzmania musaica var. concolor, Guzmania musaica var. discolor, Guzmania musaica var. rosea, Guzmania musaica var. zebrina
    FamilyBromeliaceae
    GenusGuzmania
    TypeEpiphyte
    Native RangeCosta Rica to NW. Venezuela and NW. Ecuador
    USDA Hardiness Zones9 to 11
    Mature SizeHeight: 0.2 to 0.5 feet, Spread: 0.2 to 0.4 feet
    Bloom TimeSummer
    FoliageLeathery Evergreen
    Propagation methodsby offsets
    SunFull Sun to Partial Shade
    SoilMoist, Well-drained
    ToxicityNon-Toxic

    Guzmania Musaica Indoor Care

    It typically grows as an epiphyte in the wild, though it can be used as a ground cover or potted plant. As a flowering plant, it can produce bracts that are actually more colorful than flowers. The burst of color provided by these bracts is the main reason why these plants are grown at all.

    Mosaic Vase Care Guide
    Guzmania musaica care guide

    Light and Location

    This plant thrives in indirect sunlight and does not require direct sunlight to grow. But giving it a few hours in the morning sun wouldn’t go amiss either. Put it up on a windowsill that gets some sunlight, and you’ll be good to go. Alternatively, these plants are popular in office settings; fluorescent light is more than enough to ensure proper growth.

    Watering

    The most crucial aspect for the growth of this plant is keeping it moist with regular watering. Ensure the potting soil remains moist throughout, and adjust your watering frequency accordingly. During the summer months, increase its water intake by an extra watering per week to once every three days for this plant to stay moist. Ensure proper drainage and don’t let the soil get soggy. Throughout the year, fill the cup in the center of the plant with distilled water and replace it frequently. 

    Temperature

    If the temperature in the area where you are growing the plant stays below 60 degrees Fahrenheit for more than a day, it may cause harm to guzmania musaica. Optimal temperatures are between 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, just like most other bromeliads. 

    Humidity

    Guzmania musaica thrives in moderate to high humidity environments. This makes the use of a humidifier or misting your plant in areas with lower levels of humidity sensible. Make sure that you never let your Guzmania musaica dry out, but also keep in mind to not over-water it either. If you’re unable to find a spot with enough humidity, consider using a terrarium.

    Fertilizer

    Although not necessary, feeding can sometimes be quite a game-changer. Fertilize the plant with an orchid fertilizer during the growing season every 3-4 weeks. It will grow just fine without a feed, but it will just take longer. 

    Propagating Guzmania Musaica

    When propagating Guzmania musaica, the tried and true method is to use offshoots from the base. These offshoots grow in between the leaves and can reach half the height of the parent plant. In the natural lifecycle of the Guzmania, the offshoots replace the parent plant after it has flowered. 
    But you don’t have to wait for the first plant to die out before propagating via offshoots. To propagate the plant:

    1. Take an offshoot and remove the leaves until you are left with just the stem.
    2. Dip the stem into rooting hormone powder and place it in moist soil.
    3. Ensure the soil remains moist until the plant begins to grow new leaves.

    Potting and Repotting Guzmania

    When potting or repotting a guzmania musaica, it is essential to use bromeliads or orchid potting soil. This will help keep the high humidity levels that the plant needs to thrive. Pick any type of pot, a porous clay pot can be an excellent choice as they drain quickly, and this plant desperately needs good drainage. If you’re going with a regular pot, drill holes in the bottom or the sides.

    This perennial grows best when it is repotted every two years into a pot about 1 inch wider than the previous pot. Choose a pot of the appropriate size and fill it with suitable potting soil. Make sure to leave some room for the roots to move about, i.e., don’t fill up the whole pot. Remove the plant from its original pot and move it to the new location. Very, very gently. Wait for the plant to take root.

    Guzmania_Musaica Colorful Bracts
    Guzmania musaica colorful bracts

    Guzmania Musaica Care: How To Keep Your Plant thriving? (Video)

    Toxicity

    Guzmania musaica is non-toxic to humans, dogs, cats, and horses. It is completely safe to be around pets or children.

    Attribution

    “File:Guzmania musaica 29838465.jpg” by Dario is licensed under CC0 1.0

    File:Guzmania musaica var. concolor (TS) 2-03858.jpg” by Timm Stolten is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

    “File:Guzmania musaica 0zz.jpg” by Photo by David J. Stang is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

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    Milo Mason

    Milo Mason is a self-proclaimed plant whisperer. With a passion for gardening, houseplants, and all things outdoors, Milo has been cultivating indoor plants for the past five years with an interest in perennials and succulents. He enjoys sharing his insights and research on plant species when it comes to care tips.

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