# Cutting broms leaves?



## Mikko (Sep 23, 2005)

I´m just wondering since I have seen couple of pictures where the long leaves of the bromeliad have been cut in order to fit the plant nicely in the tank, does this affect the plant in any negative way? Or is it ok? 

-Mikko


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## Dancing frogs (Feb 20, 2004)

Actually, there was a post a while back that stated cutting back a bromeliad may help stimulate it to send out pups.


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## Mikko (Sep 23, 2005)

That´s interesting, so I guess it wouldn´t be that bad to cut the leafs a bit. But are there also some serious cons in it? Because I wouldn´t like to risk this bromeliad.

-Mikko


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## Dancing frogs (Feb 20, 2004)

Most broms are pretty tough if you give them reasonable conditions...mainly enough light, and not too wet around the base, keep water in the funnels and you should be fine.
Just remember, when trimming any plant, that the leaves are the plant's food factory.
The only thing I can see going wrong, (other than if you pluck every leaf off) is the cut leaf getting infected, and rotting, but like I said broms are pretty tough.


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## Guest (Nov 7, 2005)

cutting a broms leaves wont make it pup, but cutting the flower will 

(bromeliads grow from the center. The termination of the growth is the flower. Most broms send out pups after they flower {some send out little buds but they usually dont really start to grow until the flower dies off}. Trimming the flower cuts this short and starts pup production early.)

And im sure trimming their leaves wouldnt hurt them. Bromeilads are, on the whole, very hardy. Just gve them lots of drainage and your set :wink:


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## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

The cutting the leaves to make them pup is actually true, but is basically cutting everything down to about 2 or so inches on a plant normally 12-14 inches. This causes the parent plant to pup since it will never live to flower. Its suppose to be a tactic used in some greehouses to get pups when they want out of broms without having to wait til nature takes its course and the plant flowers and what not.

Cutting one or two inches off the end of the broms leaf on something 12-14 inces wide usually isn't too much of a big deal but you also have to realize that the leaves are the plants most important parts - both for food (light) and for gathering water and nutrients.

Don't make the plant fit the tank, better to get an appropriate sized brom next time. Most of the dealers from this site will be able to recomend you broms that are appropriately sized for whatever size tank you have. Broms range in size from 2 inches to over 3 feet... there is a brom that fits your needs without you having to hurt the plant by cutting leaves.


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## Mikko (Sep 23, 2005)

Ok, thanks from the replies. And your right about not trying to fit the plant, but the thing why I wanted to ask this was because I have one moderately sized vivarium that I´m trying to fit just one big brom that has large tanks. It will take the whole viv and It would just be so easy to fit in the tank if I would clip a bit from the end of couple leaves. 

And btw if someone is wondering why the large bromeliad, it´s because this one is not for darts, it´s actually for bromeliad crabs. :wink: 

-Mikko


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## Guest (Nov 7, 2005)

k, im not arguing, because this would be somthing stupid to argue about, but im very sure that just trimming the outermost leaves wouldnt cause pupping. If you were to trim the center and destroy/remove the area of active growth, then outward growth (ie pups) would happen. Unless they'res some study that was done on broms or somthing, i mean, who would suspect that ethelyne gas would cause them to flower....


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## Guest (Nov 7, 2005)

oh, and can you post some pic's of your crabs!!


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## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

I wasn't talking about trimming, I was talking cutting a 12-14 inch brom down to 2 inches (which would cause damage to the center and damaging the area of active growth like you said) to cause pupping- thats the point. Its not just a trim but cutting it down to almost the crown of the plant.

I was told placing a brom in a bag with a rotting apple for two or so days would cause it to flower - its how you can get broms barely larger than pups to flower... which really confuses people because they thing the plant is full grown then the pups grown 2-3x larger than the "mother".


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## Guest (Nov 8, 2005)

Ahhhh, I answered this question before. Not a rotting apple! Ripening!
Apples (specifically) along with a few other fruits release ethelyne gas as they ripen. Rotting apples dont produce any gas aside from gas thats already there just dissipating out of the rotting fruit. You will get alchohols and methane as a result of the decomposition though......
(k, enough science there)

Sorry about not understanding, I thought you meant just giving a little *snip* *snip* to the outermost leave tips.

The flowering thing isnt gaurenteed either. 1st off it takes 10-14 weeks (and who knows if your plant would have flowered naturally in that time or not). Also it doesnt work 100% of the time

In regards to forcing small pups to flower, I honestly dont know. Its possible, mabye greenhouses or nurseries have ethelyne gas on hand that can force the broms to flower... I really dont know.


Wow, hijacked. Sorry.


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## Mikko (Sep 23, 2005)

No probs from hijacking, it´s interesting to read this conversation, because I didn´t know much about bromeliads.

But the crabs, haven´t receive them yet, but I´m anxious to wait, they have pretty much similar behavior as some thumbs, they live and breed in bromeliad tanks (in pairs) and have very long parental care.

-Mikko


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