215 Species in Genus Guzmania

February 23 – Guzmania
"Guzmania, the bold bromeliad, represents February 23."
This tropical plant symbolizes confidence and vibrancy. You are lively and fearless, drawing admiration with your zest for life.

Table of Contents

Guzmania: A Bromeliad Beauty

My name is Ferb Vu, and I’ve always been drawn to the vibrant colors and unique forms of the plant world. Among my favorites is the genus Guzmania, a group of bromeliads that never fail to catch my eye. These tropical beauties belong to the Bromeliaceae family, with their striking foliage and inflorescences, bring a touch of the exotic to any setting.

Origins and Habitat

Native to the rainforests of Central and South America, Guzmania plants are epiphytes, meaning they grow on other plants, typically trees, for support. They are not parasitic, however. Instead, they gather moisture and nutrients from the air and rain, making them fascinating examples of adaptation to their environment. Imagine them thriving in the humid, lush canopy, their colorful bracts a beacon against the deep green backdrop.

A Diverse Genus

The genus Guzmania boasts a remarkable diversity, with over 200 recognized species. Each has its own unique characteristics, but they all share that distinctive bromeliad form: a rosette of leaves forming a central “tank” that holds water. This tank is not just for hydration; it also serves as a microhabitat for various creatures, from insects to frogs.

Guzmania acorifolia (Griseb.) Mez
Guzmania acuminata L.B.Sm.
Guzmania acutispica E.Gross
Guzmania adscendens H.Luther & K.F.Norton
Guzmania aequatorialis L.B.Sm.
Guzmania albescens H.Luther & Determann
Guzmania alborosea H.Luther
Guzmania alcantareoides H.Luther
Guzmania alliodora E.Gross
Guzmania altsonii L.B.Sm.
Guzmania × amoena H.Luther
Guzmania amplectens L.B.Sm.
Guzmania anae Wisnev
Guzmania andreana (É.Morren) Mez
Guzmania andreettae Rauh
Guzmania angustifolia (Baker) Wittm.
Guzmania apiculata L.B.Sm.
Guzmania armeniaca H.Luther
Guzmania asplundii L.B.Sm.
Guzmania atrocastanea H.Luther
Guzmania attenuata L.B.Sm. & Read
Guzmania bakeri (Wittm.) Mez
Guzmania bergii H.Luther
Guzmania berteroniana (Schult. & Schult.f.) Mez
Guzmania besseae H.Luther
Guzmania betancurii H.Luther
Guzmania bicolor L.B.Sm.
Guzmania bipartita L.B.Sm.
Guzmania blassii Rauh
Guzmania brackeana Manzan.
Guzmania bracteosa (André) André ex Mez
Guzmania brasiliensis Ule
Guzmania breviscapa H.Luther
Guzmania brevispatha Mez
Guzmania butcheri Rauh
Guzmania cabrerae Gilmartin
Guzmania calamifolia André ex Mez
Guzmania calothyrsus Mez
Guzmania candelabrum (André) André ex Mez
Guzmania caricifolia (André) L.B.Sm.
Guzmania cerrohoyaensis H.Luther
Guzmania cinnabarina H.Luther & K.F.Norton
Guzmania circinnata Rauh
Guzmania claviformis H.Luther
Guzmania compacta Mez
Guzmania condensata Mez & Wercklé
Guzmania condorensis H.Luther
Guzmania confinis L.B.Sm.
Guzmania confusa L.B.Sm.
Guzmania conglomerata H.Luther
Guzmania conifera (André) André ex Mez
Guzmania coriostachya (Griseb.) Mez
Guzmania corniculata H.Luther
Guzmania cuatrecasasii L.B.Sm.
Guzmania cundinamarcae Gouda
Guzmania cuzcoensis L.B.Sm.
Guzmania cylindrica L.B.Sm.
Guzmania dalstroemii H.Luther
Guzmania danielii L.B.Sm.
Guzmania darienensis H.Luther
Guzmania delicatula L.B.Sm.
Guzmania densiflora Mez
Guzmania densispica Gouda & Manzan.
Guzmania desautelsii Read & L.B.Sm.
Guzmania devansayana É.Morren
Guzmania diazii H.Luther
Guzmania diffusa L.B.Sm.
Guzmania dissitiflora (André) L.B.Sm.
Guzmania donnellsmithii Mez ex Donn.Sm.
Guzmania dudleyi L.B.Sm.
Guzmania dussii Mez
Guzmania ecuadorensis Gilmartin
Guzmania eduardi André ex Mez
Guzmania ekmanii (Harms) Harms ex Mez
Guzmania elvallensis H.Luther
Guzmania erythrolepis Brongn. ex Planch.
Guzmania farciminiformis H.Luther
Guzmania fawcettii Mez
Guzmania ferruginea H.Luther
Guzmania filicaulis Gouda
Guzmania filiorum L.B.Sm.
Guzmania flagellata S.Pierce & J.R.Grant
Guzmania foetida Rauh
Guzmania formosa H.Luther
Guzmania fosteriana L.B.Sm.
Guzmania fuerstenbergiana (Kirchhoff & Wittm.) Wittm.
Guzmania fuquae H.Luther & Determann
Guzmania garciaensis Rauh
Guzmania glaucophylla Rauh
Guzmania globosa L.B.Sm.
Guzmania glomerata Mez & Wercklé
Guzmania gloriosa (André) André ex Mez
Guzmania goudotiana Mez
Guzmania gracilior (André) Mez
Guzmania gracilis H.Luther
Guzmania graminifolia (André ex Baker) L.B.Sm.
Guzmania harlingii H.Luther
Guzmania hedychioides L.B.Sm.
Guzmania henniae H.Luther
Guzmania herrerae H.Luther & W.J.Kress
Guzmania hirtzii H.Luther
Guzmania hitchcockiana L.B.Sm.
Guzmania hollinensis H.Luther
Guzmania inexpectata H.Luther
Guzmania inkaterrae Gouda & C.Soto
Guzmania izkoi Manzan. & W.Till
Guzmania jaramilloi H.Luther
Guzmania kalbreyeri (Baker) L.B.Sm.
Guzmania kareniae H.Luther & K.F.Norton
Guzmania kentii H.Luther
Guzmania killipiana L.B.Sm.
Guzmania kraenzliniana Wittm.
Guzmania laeta H.Luther
Guzmania lehmanniana (Wittm.) Mez
Guzmania lemeana Manzan.
Guzmania leonard-kentiana H.Luther & K.F.Norton
Guzmania lepidota (André) André ex Mez
Guzmania lindenii (André) Mez
Guzmania lingulata (L.) Mez Plant FAQs: Guzmania Lingulata
Guzmania × litaensis H.Luther
Guzmania loeflingiana Vivas & B.Holst
Guzmania longibracteata Betancur & N.R.Salinas
Guzmania longipetala (Baker) Mez
Guzmania loraxiana J.R.Grant
Guzmania lychnis L.B.Sm.
Guzmania macropoda L.B.Sm.
Guzmania madisonii H.Luther
Guzmania manzanaresiorum H.Luther
Guzmania marantoidea (Rusby) H.Luther
Guzmania megastachya (Baker) Mez
Guzmania melinonis Regel
Guzmania membranacea L.B.Sm. & Steyerm.
Guzmania mitis L.B.Sm.
Guzmania monostachia (L.) Rusby ex Mez
Guzmania morreniana (É.Morren) Mez
Guzmania mosquerae (Wittm.) Mez
Guzmania mucronata (Griseb.) Mez
Guzmania multiflora (André) André ex Mez
Guzmania musaica (Linden & André) Mez
Guzmania nangaritzae H.Luther & K.F.Norton
Guzmania nicaraguensis Mez & C.F.Baker
Guzmania nidularioides L.B.Sm. & Read
Guzmania nubicola L.B.Sm.
Guzmania nubigena L.B.Sm.
Guzmania oligantha Lozano
Guzmania osyana (É.Morren) Mez
Guzmania pallida L.B.Sm.
Guzmania palustris (Wittm.) Mez
Guzmania panamensis Cáceres Gonz.
Guzmania paniculata Mez
Guzmania pattersoniae Manzan.
Guzmania patula Mez & Wercklé
Guzmania pearcei (Baker) L.B.Sm.
Guzmania pennellii L.B.Sm.
Guzmania peter-bakii Manzan., Gouda & W.Till
Guzmania plicatifolia L.B.Sm.
Guzmania plumieri (Griseb.) Mez
Guzmania polycephala Mez & Wercklé
Guzmania poortmanii (André) André ex Mez
Guzmania pseudodissitiflora H.Luther & K.F.Norton
Guzmania pseudospectabilis H.Luther
Guzmania pungens L.B.Sm.
Guzmania puyoensis Rauh
Guzmania radiata L.B.Sm.
Guzmania rauhiana H.Luther
Guzmania regalis H.Luther
Guzmania remediosensis E.Gross
Guzmania remyi L.B.Sm.
Guzmania retusa L.B.Sm.
Guzmania rhonhofiana Harms
Guzmania roezlii (É.Morren) Mez
Guzmania roseiflora Rauh
Guzmania rubrolutea Rauh
Guzmania rugosa L.B.Sm. & Read
Guzmania sanguinea (André) André ex Mez
Guzmania scandens H.Luther & W.J.Kress
Guzmania scherzeriana Mez
Guzmania septata L.B.Sm.
Guzmania sibundoyorum L.B.Sm.
Guzmania sieffiana H.Luther
Guzmania skotakii H.Luther
Guzmania sphaeroidea (André) André ex Mez
Guzmania sprucei (André) L.B.Sm.
Guzmania squarrosa (Mez & Sodiro) L.B.Sm. & Pittendr.
Guzmania stenostachya L.B.Sm.
Guzmania steyermarkii L.B.Sm.
Guzmania straminea (K.Koch) Mez
Guzmania striata L.B.Sm.
Guzmania stricta L.B.Sm.
Guzmania strobilantha (Ruiz & Pav.) Mez
Guzmania subcorymbosa L.B.Sm.
Guzmania tarapotina Ule
Guzmania tenuifolia (H.Luther) Betancur & N.R.Salinas
Guzmania terrestris L.B.Sm. & Steyerm.
Guzmania testudinis L.B.Sm. & Read
Guzmania teucamae H.Luther & K.F.Norton
Guzmania teuscheri L.B.Sm.
Guzmania triangularis L.B.Sm.
Guzmania undulatobracteata (Rauh) Rauh
Guzmania vanvolxemii (André) André ex Mez
Guzmania variegata L.B.Sm.
Guzmania ventricosa (Griseb.) Mez
Guzmania verecunda L.B.Sm.
Guzmania victoriae Rauh
Guzmania vinacea H.Luther & K.F.Norton
Guzmania virescens (Hook.) Mez
Guzmania viridiflora E.Gross
Guzmania vittata (Mart. ex Schult. & Schult.f.) Mez
Guzmania vonbismarckii Gouda
Guzmania weberbaueri Mez
Guzmania wittmackii (André) André ex Mez
Guzmania xanthobractea Gilmartin
Guzmania xipholepis L.B.Sm.
Guzmania zahnii (Hook.f.) Mez
Guzmania zakii H.Luther

Care and Cultivation

While Guzmania plants may seem exotic, they are surprisingly easy to care for, making them popular houseplants. They thrive in bright, indirect light and prefer a humid environment. Regular misting and keeping the central tank filled with water will help mimic their natural rainforest habitat.

One thing to remember is that Guzmania plants are monocarpic, meaning they flower only once. After blooming, the mother plant will gradually decline, but it will often produce offsets, or “pups,” that can be separated and grown into new plants. This cycle of life and renewal is another aspect that I find fascinating about these plants.

Beyond the Aesthetics

Beyond their ornamental value, Guzmania plants also play a role in air purification, helping to remove harmful pollutants from indoor environments. This makes them not only beautiful but also beneficial additions to our homes and workspaces.

In their native habitats, Guzmania plants are also important components of the ecosystem, providing food and shelter for various animals. Their vibrant colors and unique forms add to the biodiversity and beauty of the rainforest.

A Source of Inspiration

For me, Guzmania plants represent resilience, adaptability, and the beauty of the natural world. Their vibrant colors and unique forms never cease to inspire me. Whether I’m admiring a single plant on my windowsill or exploring a botanical garden filled with these tropical wonders, I always find myself drawn to their captivating presence.

I encourage everyone to take a moment to appreciate the beauty and diversity of Guzmania plants. Whether you’re a seasoned plant enthusiast or just starting your journey into the world of botany, these fascinating bromeliads are sure to leave a lasting impression.