Plant of the May
The exuberance of Guzmania

A Master Class in Colour: Guzmania
Bright colours, appealing shapes – just seeing a Guzmania can lift your spirits. Welcome to ‘The House of the Rising Fun’!

A sturdy flowering plant
The Guzmania is just as charismatic and exuberant as its name suggests. The kind of houseplant that automatically sparks questions about how Mother Nature could have created such a strange species and even makes people want to touch it to make sure it’s not plastic. But it’s not, the Guzmania is a real plant. Take a closer look, and you’ll discover that a rosette of ribbon-shaped leaves produces a stem with red, pin, yellow or orange primary bracts interspersed with small yellowish-white flowers. Its rich diversity of colours makes this plant an ideal accent for neutral interiors: just a few plants and you change the atmosphere of a whole room. What’s more, the Guzmania is a long-lasting houseplant that will easily bloom continuously for three months. Alone or in a group, these cheerful little trumpets provide an indoor preview of summer.

Ticket to the Tropics
The Guzmania is endemic to the tropical rainforests of South America. The plant is the symbol of the Brazilian wilderness where around 2,800 species have been identified. Breeding efforts have added another 250 varieties. It’s the kind of plant people can use to display their own personality: definitely not a wallflower, but a conspicuous housemate and one who’s very easy to get along with, yet still always makes a vibrant impression.

Happy Housemate
Best location: out of the sun, in a warm humid location: kitchens and bathrooms are ideal
Best temperature: at least18ºC, preferably a bit warme
Best care: they thrive even if mildly neglected: pour some water into the rosette during the flowering period but be sure that excess water can drain away
Best tip: to get a Guzmania to flower again requires very green fingers indeed and lots of patience: once a Guzmania has finished flowering, the average plant lover will simply buy a new one.

Bet you didn’t know
The Guzmania is the colourful half-sister of the pineapple and also a member of the genus, Bromeliad. Although not edible, the Guzmania’s sturdy leaves look a lot like those of the pineapple plant, and the plant itself is not at all fragile.
Just like other bromeliads, the Guzmania absorbs moisture from the air through its leaves that have cells that are a bit like flypaper.!