Columbian guzmania (Columbian guzmania) is a captivating bromeliad. Its distinctive feature is its striking mosaic-like pattern on its leaves, which resemble an intricate network of veins. The vibrant green leaves are adorned with dark brown or black markings, creating a visually appealing contrast. In its native habitat, this bromeliad often grows as an epiphyte on trees. It produces a central rosette of leaves and a tall, colorful inflorescence with bright bracts and small flowers. Guzmania musaica is a popular choice for indoor and tropical garden settings due to its unique and attractive appearance.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Guzmania musaica is a plant species in the genus Guzmania. This species is native to Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador (Esmeraldas, Imbabura), Venezuela and Colombia (Antioquia, Choco, Narino, Norte de Santander, Valle del Cauca).
Guzmania musaica is an epiphytic plant with a bushy habit. Shovel-headed, it grows to no more than 50 centimetres in height.
The leaves grow in a rosette, forming a central reservoir. While the foliage of Guzmania conifera is plain, that of Guzmania musaica is zebra-striped. The light-green blades are crossed by darker lines. Depending on the variety, the stripes may be dark green or brown on the upper side and purple on the reverse.
Although its foliage is highly decorative, Guzmania musaica is best cultivated for its flowering. This takes the form of red and yellow bracts, bristling with waxy yellow flowers. The inflorescence, borne on a 40-centimeter flowering spike, blooms at the heart of the rosette. As with other Bromeliaceae, flowering occurs only once. The plant dies when it is finished.
Guzmania musaica is non-toxic. You can add it to your collection even if you live with pets and young children.
It grows as an epiphyte in rainforests.
II. How to Grow and Care
Columbian guzmania thrives in warm, humid environments with bright, indirect light, avoiding direct sunlight. Special care points include maintaining consistent moisture in the central ‘tank’ created by its rosette of leaves and ensuring high humidity—critical for its well-being. Overwatering and poor drainage are common pitfalls, so thorough drainage is key. Frequent misting or a pebble tray can help increase humidity around columbian guzmania, contributing to its optimum growth.
Sunlight
Columbian guzmania responds well to indirect bright light. The exposure to the direct sunlight may wither plant growth and burn its leaves while it can survive continuous dark periods for 2-3 weeks whereas continuous long exposure to dark also affects its growth and that’s the reason it grow successfully in its natural epiphytic behavior on the stems of the developed trees and inside foliage where it don’t get direct sunlight. It’s best to place it near a window without direct sunlight, such as 30 cm from the window.
Temperature
High humidity and temperature ranging between 13 to 38 ℃ are considered optimal for its best growth. Being a tropical plant, keep your columbian guzmania under high humidity and temperatures ranging between 13 to 38 ℃. Any significant increase or decrease may stop its growth while the optimum temperature ranges between 16 to 27 ℃ for its best growth. Keep the growing environment humid especially during the winters when the temperatures are getting down from the desired level because both low humidity and low temperatures are the limiting factors for its growth.
Since columbian guzmania doesn’t benefit from the rainwater directly as it survives on the stem of large trees and shrubs and is never rooted on the surface of the soil for the water uptake but lives on the water that runs off from the surface of the plants, it can be assumed that columbian guzmania can grow successfully indoor with a need of 7 to 10 mm weekly.
Watering
Columbian guzmania is a tropical plant that thrives in humid environments. It’s native to the rainforests, indicating its preference for high moisture levels. Despite being drought-tolerant, it requires watering every week to maintain its lush appearance. As an evergreen plant often grown indoors, columbian guzmania benefits from misting to replicate its natural habitat and enhance humidity.
Soil
Columbian guzmania prefers the type of soil textures that readily dries out. Any permeable soil mix with good drainage that doesn’t become damp dries out swiftly and permits oxygen to reach the root zone promptly would be fine. Retain a water container in the center of the plant, during the warm, humid conditions. Columbian guzmania is an epiphyte that can grow well in soilless organic media that dries out more quickly than the soil. Work on the potting mix as a soggy medium may be prone to root rot and leaf spots on the foliage of indoor plants. Keep growing medium well-drained and replacing during every season.
The best pH for growing columbian guzmania is slightly acidic in the range of 6.0-6.5 whereas they can grow well in a neutral pH as well (6.6-7.0). The pH of coco coir is almost neutral while peat moss stands around 8 to 10 cm pH so the combination listed below would be a growing media for columbian guzmania. For the potted plants, coco coir and orchid bark is a good combination in 50:50 ratio whereas a combination of coarse perlite, sphagnum moss, and fir bark will also drain quickly. For outdoors, add perlite and sand to the garden soil if it appears heavy.
Fertilizing
Columbian guzmania needs very little fertilizers during the period of its growth. A balanced water-soluble fertilizer will do the job of providing essential nutrients to the plants growing indoor using a mist sprayer onto the plant foliage. Preferably use NPK (20:20:20) 8-10 gram in 1 gallon of water twice in the spring and summer whereas a slow-release organic fertilizer in the fall. Adding fertilizers to the plant container is not recommended because its roots are little absorbent and applied fertilizer accumulates salt sedimentation into the container that may harm plants.
Planting Instructions
Readily planted columbian guzmania can be brought in from the nearby nursery. Buy those plants that possess unbendable, uniform green leaves. Drooping leaves with brownish spots on the leaves margin may be troublesome in your garden. Always bring in young sprouts if you are buying it from the nursery or a nearby store. Old stuff may bloom and flower any time as nursery handlers are not keeping to remember the age of the plants and environment; it is not conducive for the general growth. Some 20 to 23 cm pots will be a good choice for the entire life span of columbian guzmania, growing indoors.
Normally it takes 3-4 years to reach the pup to mature fully. It contains a shallow root system that anchors the plant while foliage grows out more rapidly during the hot, humid summers. Upon flowering, the mother plant dies leaving the pups in the base of the plant. Flower and foliage may be cut using a sharp knife whereas the pups will develop into a new plant gradually. Pups can be replanted in the individual containers with fresh potting mixtures to avoid root rot.
Pruning
Columbian guzmania doesn’t need pruning until it blooms once in a lifetime. Tips of the leaves will eventually turn brown once insignificant white flowers have appeared and that’s the end of your old stalk. Leaves and flowers can be cut down to the pups using pruning shears that will emerge as a new plant next spring. Pruning shears or knives must have sharp edges while rubbing alcohol will disinfect your cutters from the fungi or bacteria to transfer onto the new stuff.
Propagation
Columbian guzmania is an attractive bromeliad with striking foliage that can complement many indoor spaces. This species thrives when propagated through division, a method fitting for its growth patterns. Gardeners should gently separate offsets from the mother plant once they’ve reached a reasonable size. Ensuring each section has ample roots maximizes success. Careful handling during separation and immediate repotting into appropriate bromeliad mix will encourage healthy growth in progeny.
Transplanting
Transplanting columbian guzmania thrives when done during the burst of growth in late spring to mid-summer, ensuring warmer soil for root establishment. Choose bright, indirect light locations and when necessary, gently tease out roots to encourage spreading.
Repotting
Repot columbian guzmania every 2-3 years to accommodate its moderate growth rate. Best done in spring, repotting encourages healthy development. Use a container slightly larger than the root ball, allowing room to grow without overwhelming the roots. Post-repot, maintain consistent moisture and avoid direct sunlight to let columbian guzmania recover and thrive. A supportive stake may benefit columbian guzmania’s upright foliage during this time.
III. Harvesting and Storage
There is nothing to harvest other than caring for the pups after the insignificant flowering has taken place, plant foliage turns brown and its leaves start to curl. The overall structure is harvested leaving the pups on the mother plant that sprouts and develops into the new plants, next year. The insignificant white flowers don’t produce any scent and not important in their ornamental use.
