Scarlet-star
Guzmania lingulata
No known toxicity☀ Bright indirectMedium care
Check in 4 days· Jul 17
Keep mix lightly moist and refresh water in the center cup.
Every 7 daysLast watered: 2026-07-10
This is a soil-check date, not an automatic watering date.
Overview
- Summary, origin & habitat
- A tropical epiphytic bromeliad native to the Americas. It forms a water-holding leaf rosette and is prized for long-lasting, brightly colored bracts around small flowers.
- Interesting facts
- The showy “flower” is mostly colored bracts. The actual flowers are small and short-lived, while the bracts persist for months.
- Name story
- Lingulata means tongue-shaped or strap-like, describing the leaves. “Scarlet star” describes the bright central bracts.
- History & legends
- The genus honors Anastasio Guzmán, a Spanish pharmacist and naturalist. Bromeliads became important conservatory and interiorscape plants because their bracts remain colorful for months.
Care
- Light
- Medium to bright indirect light, part shade or good artificial light. Avoid harsh sun.
- Temperature
- 65–80°F (18–27°C); avoid prolonged temperatures below 60°F.
- Watering
- Keep mix lightly moist and refresh water in the center cup.
- Fertilizing
- During active growth, apply a ¼-strength bromeliad fertilizer monthly to foliage or the center cup; flush old water and salts regularly.
- Toughness
- Medium
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Maintenance
- Medium
- Maintenance notes
- Maintain clean water in the central cup, airy roots and humidity. The mother rosette naturally declines after flowering.
Growth & flowers
- Mature height
- Usually 1–2 ft
- Mature spread
- Usually 1–2 ft
- Leaf colors
- Green, sometimes cross-banded or variegated; showy bracts may be red, orange, yellow or pink.
- Leaf type / form
- Long, strap-like simple leaves forming a funnel-shaped tank rosette.
- Best planting / repotting time
- Year-round indoors; separate and pot pups in spring–summer when they reach about one-third the parent size.
- Bloom time
- Blooms once at maturity; commercially forced plants may bloom in any season and the display lasts 2–4 months.
- Flower color
- Small white true flowers surrounded by red, orange, yellow or pink bracts.
Safety
- Toxic if eaten?
- No known toxicity
- Who is affected
- Not classified as toxic to cats or dogs
- Possible effects
- ASPCA lists this bromeliad as non-toxic to pets. It is still not intended to be eaten.
A safety guide, not medical or veterinary advice. “Non-toxic” does not mean edible — even non-toxic plants can cause stomach upset. For a person, contact Poison Control; for a pet, a veterinarian.
Tips
- Pruning
- After the bracts fade, cut off the spent flower stalk. Gradually remove dead mother-plant leaves as pups enlarge.
- Propagation
- Separate basal offsets when they are about one-third to one-half the size of the mother rosette.
- Repotting
- Rarely needs a large pot. Use a small container with bromeliad/orchid mix; repot mainly when separating pups.
Ecology
- Adaptation strategy
- The tank rosette captures rain, fallen organic matter and nutrients. Leaf scales absorb moisture, while the small root system mainly anchors the plant to tree branches.
- Ecological application
- In native forests, tank bromeliads create tiny aquatic habitats used by insects and other small organisms. Indoors they provide long-lasting color in compact spaces.