From my perspective, mealybugs are a significant threat. These small, soft-bodied insects hide in the most sheltered parts of my being: the central cup, the undersides of my leaves, and the tight spaces where my leaf bases overlap. They pierce my tissues with their needle-like mouthparts to feed on my sap, which weakens me and robs me of vital nutrients. Their feeding also leaves behind a sticky, sweet substance called honeydew, which often leads to the growth of sooty mold, further blocking my sunlight absorption. To treat an infestation, you must physically remove them with a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol, ensuring you reach into my central cup and leaf axils. For larger outbreaks, applying a horticultural oil or insecticidal soap directly to the pests will suffocate them without causing me undue harm.
Scale insects are particularly troublesome due to their protective, waxy coating that makes them resemble small, brown bumps stuck to my leaves and flower stalk. Like mealybugs, they are sap-suckers, and a heavy infestation can cause my leaves to yellow, wilt, and lose their structural integrity. Their honeydew excretion also attracts sooty mold. Treatment requires persistence. You can scrape them off carefully with a fingernail or a soft brush. For more stubborn cases, dabbing each scale with a cotton swab soaked in neem oil or insecticidal soap will help penetrate their armor. Systemic insecticides can be used as a last resort, but I prefer gentler methods to avoid stress.
Aphids tend to congregate on my new, tender growth and the developing flower spike. These small, pear-shaped insects cluster together and drain my sap, which can distort my new leaves and cause them to curl. Their rapid reproduction rate means a small group can become a major problem quickly. A strong jet of water can often dislodge them, but you must be careful not to overwater my soil or leave my central cup overflowing for too long. Insecticidal soaps or neem oil applications are very effective against these soft-bodied pests. Encouraging natural predators like ladybugs in your garden is a strategy I greatly appreciate.
This is not an attack by insects but a disease caused by overly saturated conditions around my roots. I am an epiphyte, and my roots are primarily for anchorage; they are not adapted to constant wetness. When my potting medium remains soggy, oxygen-starved roots begin to decay and succumb to fungal pathogens. You will see my leaves turning mushy, yellow, or brown at the base, and I may become unstable in my pot. Treatment requires immediate action. You must remove me from the pot, wash away the old medium, and cut away any soft, brown, or blackened roots with a sterilized tool. Repot me in a fresh, well-draining bromeliad mix and ensure my pot has excellent drainage. Most importantly, adjust your watering habits—keep my central cup about one-quarter full with fresh water, but allow my growing medium to dry out significantly between waterings.
