Foolproof plant profile

Foolproof plant, also called Billbergia pyramidalis, is a perennial evergreen herb native to Brazil. Foolproof plant is introduced in recent years, is a kind of ornamental plant with beautiful flowers and leaves. Foolproof plant is originally produced in tropical America, and is widely cultivated in greenhouses in China, especially in the southern region of China.

Foolproof plant picture

Foolproof plant characteristics

Foolproof plants (Billbergia pyramidalis) are perennial, evergreen herbs. The stem is very short. Leaves are broadly lanceolate, acute, margin serrate, hard leathery, bright green, surface with thick cuticle and absorbent scales. Leaves are from the rhizome of the spiral stack fascicular, the base was a rosette, the center was tubular. Inflorescences are erect, rising above leaf clusters, bracts pink, corolla vermilion, petals curling, margin purplish.More flowers in winter and spring. foolproof plant leaves are leathery, green and glossy, clustered into a rosette, dignified and beautiful; The base of the leaves hug each other, so that the center of the plant into a cylinder, which can be filled with water without leakage. Every year in September, we still can take out the inflorescence of the form of red torch from inside the leaf tube, safflower green leaf photograph sets off, doublingly lovely. It is the indoor ornamental flowers of flowers and leaves of all beauty. foolproof plants are good for decorating balconies and halls, also suitable for courtyard, rockery, poolside and other places decoration.

Foolproof plant ecological habits

Foolproof plants (Billbergia pyramidalis) love warm, moist, half-shade environments, not cold resistant, but drought. It requires large air humidity, avoiding strong light directly, and suitable temperature for growth of 20-28℃.

Foolproof plant does not require high soil quality, suitable for growing in the well-drained acid sandy soil, with rich humus, good drainage and ventilation of the slightly acidic sandy loam is better, avoid calcium soil. The optimum growth temperature is 25℃, and the overwintering temperature shall not be less than 10℃.

Foolproof plants maintenance points

Hydroponic Foolproof plants

Foolproof plants (Billbergia pyramidalis) are epiphytes, native to the Central American rainforests. From the perspective of its native environment, most Foolproof plants prefer a semi-shaded environment and avoid direct sunlight. Generally speaking, the suitable luminosity environment of bromeliads is about 18000Lux, and the relative humidity needs to be maintained between 68-75%. In terms of temperature, the daytime requirement is about 22-28C, and the night is best maintained at about 20-21C. Foolproof plants are very sensitive to relative humidity (RH)

Under bright light or dry conditions, with humidity less than 50%, the leaves will curl inwards or fail to extend. Therefore, in the environment with high light intensity, we should appropriately match the humidity above 75%. Although bromeliads like a humid environment, in the summer high temperature and humidity period, easy to cause insufficient ventilation, so that growth is blocked and easy to recruit pests and diseases. So it is necessary to maintain ventilation. When the humidity in the air is less than 65% under bright light, or when it is dry, it is well ventilated, which can also cause leaf tip wilt. Attention should be paid to the high temperature (30 degrees) after the flower ear extraction, the color of the flower ear will fade, and the flowering period will be shortened.

How to imitate the native environment of bromeliads as much as possible is an important factor for the success of planting. In terms of humidity, luminosity and temperature control, we can cooperate with the equipment:

(1) Spray system-temperature and humidity control: increasing air humidity can prevent the occurrence of excessive evapotranspiration caused by the scorched and withered Foolproof plants. Generally, high pressure spray (small steel gun) can increase air humidity and achieve cooling effect at the same time. The principle is that small drops of water can take away excess heat in the greenhouse in the process of evaporation. However, the cooling efficiency is slightly worse in the already high humidity environment in southern China.

(2) Automatic shading system (can be placed at will) - luminosity control: to avoid excessive indoor temperature caused by strong light exposure in the daytime, we should set up shading net, but excessive shading will make the Foolproof plants leaves long and narrow, affecting the quality, so an automatic shading system that automatically adjusts with the light intensity is a very effective luminosity control system.

(3) Ventilation system (window switch) - temperature control: mainly to avoid the greenhouse indoor temperature is too high. Ventilation is beneficial to prevent diseases and insect pests, and also beneficial to the leaf cooling in a hot environment.

(4) Heating and cooling system -- temperature control: in domestic cultivation and ornamental pineapples, the primary problem is that the temperature is too high in summer and too low in winter.In summer. It is advisable to use the water curtain fan system to cool down, which can keep the blade and medium not too wet when used in the humid southern climate, and has the ventilation effect; When used in the dry north, the cooling effect is even better. In winter it should be installed as a heating machine, in addition to prevent cold damage and stop the growth of problems, but also to prevent the occurrence of natural flowering.

Foolproof plants water and nutrient management:

Water quality: Water quality for the production of Foolproof plants is very important. The general water quality requirement is the lower the salt content, the better. Domestic tap water/well water may sometimes contain a large amount of salt, which must be applied after moisture analysis before use. Foolproof plants experts abroad suggest using rainwater or reverse osmosis water irrigation, to ensure that the water does not contain excessive sulfur, chlorine, boron and other elements. Be sure to measure the EC and pH of the water before each irrigation.

Nutrition : The three elements of fertilizer are the growth factors of Foolproof plants. Generally, the percentage content of the three elements is described by N:P2O5:K2O on the compound fertilizer. Nitrogen (N) can lead to leaf elongation and dark green, phosphorus (P) can help transport in the plant, and potassium (K) has the function of making leaves shorter and wider. Foolproof plants like potash fertilizer (K), with the proper potash blade can change short, wide, increase the quality of the pineapple flower leaves, as for pineapple flowers was highly sensitive to the elements of boron (B), regardless of the medium or irrigation water contains trace amounts of boron, which would make the Foolproof plants leaves to burn symptoms. In addition,we need to pay attention to the high nitrogen (N) fertilization that can also lead to plant ageing.

Key points of fertilization: When applying fertilizer, water-soluble fertilizer should be kept at <1.2 mS/cm. After fertilization, spray the surface of the leaves (irrigation water :0.1EC) with water for cleaning, otherwise it is easy to make the leaves burn. Low EC (dielectric conductivity) was maintained during winter cultivation. As for the rapid growth period in summer, EC should be increased, because the plants need more nutrients during this period.

Foolproof plant main value

Foolproof plant (Billbergia pyramidalis) is suitable for ornamental and is a good pot cultivation plant. When the flowers are in full bloom, it can be decorated with the balcony, hall, and can also be used as courtyard, rockery and poolside and other places to decorate flowers.