Watering Bromeliads
For bromeliads, the watering requirement depends on the plant, the location, the light, and the temperature.
When the humidity is high and evaporation is slow, less watering is needed. Bromeliads that have a rosette that forms a cup (tank-type) prefer to have their cups kept filled with water.
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Most bromeliads will tolerate heavy watering as long as the drainage is excellent. It is better to water less when the light or temperatures are low.
Plant needs vary, but most bromeliads adapt very well to the humidity available with central heating.
Bromeliads that originally grew in trees often can go without watering as long as the humidity is high enough for water to condense on them at night.
Since bromeliads don't have much of a root system, they do not require large pots. In fact, some of them don't even need pots. They will grow affixed to chunks of fiber attached to tree branches or directly on pieces of driftwood. In the next section, learn how to pot, or to not pot, these plants.