# Pink Vriesea turning green



## hanzo (Aug 2, 2017)

I bought a wonderfull pink Vriesea plant for my terrarium, and I was very pleased when it produced some lovely blue flowers a couple of weeks ago. They only lasted a few days, but was soon replaced with new ones. I was very happy, and tought it was sings that it was triving.

But, now the flowers are all dead, and I noticed it's turning more and more green from the bottom up. I think I read that this could be a sing of to low lightlevels?

Any advice, is this a natural thing as the plant matures, or is it a sign that it needs more light?


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## Carolina Vivariums (Oct 27, 2016)

Not enough light most likey


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## Carolina Vivariums (Oct 27, 2016)

My red cryptanthis turn green when I don't give them enough light and back red when they do get the light 


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

Vriesea? Are you sure it is not a neoregelia? You have a picture?



hanzo said:


> I bought a wonderfull pink Vriesea plant for my terrarium, and I was very pleased when it produced some lovely blue flowers a couple of weeks ago. They only lasted a few days, but was soon replaced with new ones. I was very happy, and tought it was sings that it was triving.
> 
> But, now the flowers are all dead, and I noticed it's turning more and more green from the bottom up. I think I read that this could be a sing of to low light levels?
> 
> Any advice, is this a natural thing as the plant matures, or is it a sign that it needs more light?


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## hanzo (Aug 2, 2017)

This is it, I'm no sure but I think it looks like a Vriesea?


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## greenthumbs (Nov 6, 2015)

Yup, looks like a Vriesia


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

Dude, that is not a vriesea. It is a _Wallisia _ (formerly Tillandsia) _cyanea_. It's inflorescence is beginning to fade, but it will pup. 

Where did you acquire it? When buying any bromeliad, always best to get them prior to bud, or at least in low bud, they adjust better.


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## hanzo (Aug 2, 2017)

I love this board, so much knowledge. Never had a single post go unanswered.

You seem to be completely right, it's a Wallisia cyanea. I bought it at, wait for it, Ikea... They just sell several all marked bromeliads, so you have to do some guesswork. This was the only one not blomming when I bought it, so have been with me for some months when it started blomming.

I'm not sure was beginning to fade means, does this mean it's natural for it to go green and not a sign that I need to do anything else?


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

hanzo said:


> I love this board, so much knowledge. Never had a single post go unanswered.
> 
> You seem to be completely right, it's a Wallisia cyanea. I bought it at, wait for it, Ikea... They just sell several all marked bromeliads, so you have to do some guesswork. This was the only one not blomming when I bought it, so have been with me for some months when it started blomming.
> 
> I'm not sure was beginning to fade means, does this mean it's natural for it to go green and not a sign that I need to do anything else?


What kind of lighting do you use? Have a pic of the tank?


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## hanzo (Aug 2, 2017)

it's a Exo Terra 18x18x24 tank, with one 13w Exo Terra natural light flourecense bulb over the Wallisia, and a 13w Jungle dawn on the right side. I have a second Jungle dawn comming in next week, the LED is noticable stronger compare to the Exo terra.


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## Jasper (Feb 8, 2017)

It's perfectly normal; the inflorescence fades from pink to green, can't be helped no matter the light. You can expect it to start going brown and drying up from the top down within the next month or two. Simply cut the flower stalk off when you can't stand looking at it anymore. The plant should start throwing out pups (baby plants) soon enough from its base. Eventually the mother plant will die but it will have left you with several babies in its stead.

On a side note, do you have a drainage layer in that tank? There does appear to be half an inch of something that looks like sand mixed with bark that leads me to believe there's no separation between the two. Your soil turning anaerobic and killing everything would be a bigger worry in that case


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## hanzo (Aug 2, 2017)

Thansk for clearing that up, no use in installing more ligth then 

There is a drainage layer, not easy to see from the picture. Got about an inche or two, dont need much as I keep crested gecko's in there and dont have to water or mist much. Soil is my best attempt at ABG mix. I can't get tree fern fiber, and ABG mix shipping from the US is around 120$ with shipping, so I'm forced to make do with what I have sadly :/


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