I have an orange star plant that has quit blooming. Should I cut the long stems off? The pot it is in has no hole at the bottom. Should I re-pot it? It's a beautiful plant and I would like to keep it. I just don't know how to take care of it. Thank You. Allene
Hardiness Zone: 10a
By Allene from Phoenix, AZ
An orange star plant is a tropical bromeliad originating from Ecuador. These plants make excellent house plants with their numerous overlapping green leaves coming from a central trunk and then bursting with a bright orange flower. The orange star can add a tropical feel and color to any room in your home. Like any tropical plant, the orange star likes it warm and humid. This plant is easy to grow with minimal care.
Step 1
Keep your orange star plant in bright indirect light or filtered light. If you are keeping the plant on a desk or in an area that does not have indirect light, keep under fluorescent lighting and check the soil for dryness more often.
Step 2
Water to keep the soil evenly moist during the spring, summer and fall. Cut back the watering to allow the top of the soil to dry out in the winter. Leave a bottle of tap water out for 24 hours before using it to water the plant. This will allow harmful chemicals and lime to dissipate from the water.
Step 3
Mist the plant with a spray bottle once a day during the summer and fall. Another way to add humidity to the plant is to set the container on a tray covered with pebbles and water. Do not allow the plant to sit in the water but above it on the pebbles.
Step 4
Fertilize your orange star with a water-soluble fertilizer once a month from May through October. Use a balanced 20-20-20 fertilizer.
Step 5
Repot the plant every spring to encourage new growth. Give it a little extra water and hold back fertilizer until the plant has fully adjusted to the new pot and soil. You will know that it has adjusted by seeing new growth. Good luck.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I recently bought a sun star plant and the bulbs are top heavy and causing the entire plant to droop. What should I do?
It almost sounds like you are over watering the plant. You should just water this plant once a week and don't try to over water it because the plant does not do good in wet solid and does a lot better in dryer soil.
Make sure you do not overwater. You also want to make sure they receive bright indirect sunlight. Also it prefers a cooler indoor temperature.
Try a bigger pot for more stability, adding more soil. Make sure that this plant is moist (not wet) .
I believe that I've always known these as Star of Bethlehem.
It sounds like you may need to repot your plant into a larger pot (with good drainage please). You can also divide up the bulbs and use several pots.
plantcaretoday.com/
If that is not the case then you may need to stake your plant until it gets acclimated to its new home. Big store bought plants sometimes have a difficult adjusting as we have no way to know what type of atmosphere they were grown in and most likely, it is nothing like what we bring it home to.
It is always best to do research on a new plant as soon as we bring it home as the little tags that come with a plant leave a lot to be desired as to real information and the future health of a new plants starts immediately - just as soon as we set it down - indoors or outdoors.
Several things about this plant:
"Don't be alarmed if the strappy foliage at the base of the plant is floppy, the 4-inch basal foliage naturally lies on the ground."
"Prune off foliage to the ground only after it has yellowed. Until that point, it still is taking in energy for next season's growth."
My plant seem easy to grow but I have them outside so not too sure of special care on indoors - I like to research and find what I need to do with new plants - especially where water, sun light and fertilizer is concerned.
homeguides.sfgate.com/
www.mygardenlife.com/
I have a sun star plant whose leaves yellowed, he has bloomed. How do I prune him for the best care? Or are there any other suggestions? Thank you.
Very important: do not cut off leaves until the plant looks dead.
As each flower cluster fades, cut it off at the base of the stem. Sun star's leaves continue making food for the bulb to store over the winter. As summer progresses, they gradually turn yellow and die back. When they're dead, cut them back at the base.
Keep an evenly moist soil as your plant will tolerate dry soil much better than wet.
Water weekly when it's actively growing and fertilize every other month.
Important: only use half-strength solution of water-soluble fertilizer.
Remember: Do not cut back the foliage, continue to water it, and let it die back on its own. This gives the plant the chance to store up energy in its bulb for the next growing season.
Plant bulbs should be kept moist but not waterlogged.
If potted, do not let water sit in the saucer under the plant.
Maintenance:
Keep soil around the plant clear of debris; it may harbor rust or leaf-spot fungi. Although unsightly, the diseases rarely do enough damage to warrant fungicide treatment.
Overfertilizing sun star causes brown leaf tips.
If you are in zone 7 or higher bulbs can usually remain in the ground over winter.
The Orange Star is the most popular but there are other varieties:
Yellow Star, Peach Star, Ivory Star
I have an orange star plant, I think! Mine is yellow; is it something else?
Thanks.
They come in yellow, too. Have a look at this page:
www.mygardenlife.com/
Where can this plant be purchased? Thank you.
By Janette from Parkersburg, WV
I got mine from stop and shop believe it or not
I got mine from Traders Joe. When I saw it I cant residt from buying it. Its so pretty
I got mine at Walmart, back with the cactus in garden center. They had Orange and Yellow.
I have a sun star plant, does anyone if if I can put it outside or do I need to keep it in doors? How I do I care for this kind of plant? I saw it and thought it was pretty.
Give it full sun and moderately moist soil.
Here are Sun Star care instructions from rocketfarms.com
Water: Keep planting mix moist.
Light: Place in bright indirect sun light indoors.
Continuing Care: Remove spent flower spikes at base.
Temperature: Performs well at a cooler indoor temperature.
Fertilizer: Use liquid fertilizer at half the label rate every other month.
You ask about putting it outside or should you keep it inside.
For planting outside the guides are saying okay in zones 7 - 11 but 7 and 8 may be risky unless you dig up the bulbs. It is a beautiful plant and is available in orange, yellow and white.
Here is a link to the US hardiness map in case you are not familiar with your zone.
planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/
Here is a link with care instructions - be sure to read all the way to the bottom and also - remember that most sites say this is a toxic plant so keep away from pets.
homeguides.sfgate.com/
Can you show video on how and when to cut dying flowers
My potted sun star plant began growing leaves about 2 months ago but there is still no sign of a flower stalk. (I was given this plant last Mother's Day while it was in bloom.) How long does it normally take to bloom?
The leaves are healthy, but I wonder if I should have separated the bulbs and repotted since the leaf clusters are thick and close together.I would wait a bit if I were you. They do prefer to be a little dry.
I do not think I would repot until after the blooming period or it may not bloom this year.
Here are some basic care tips.
Water: Keep planting mix moist.
Light: Place in bright indirect sun light indoors.
Continuing Care: Remove spent flower spikes at base.
Temperature: Performs well at a cooler indoor temperature.
Fertilizer: Use liquid fertilizer at half the label rate every other month.
ThriftyFun site has excellent care suggestions and blooming ideas.
www.thriftyfun.com/
Check to be sure soil is slightly moist, maybe mist spray during the day, and do not use regular tap water unless you let water rest in open container for 24 hours. Use pot with excellent drainage.
There is a Thriftyfun guide about Sun star plant's care, here : www.thriftyfun.com/
I just bought and planted orange star flower, I love it, but in a wind storm one of the stalks broke off. Can I re-sprout it by planting the broken stalk directly back into the dirt or placing in water?
I would place in water until roots grow. Then use rooting hormone and plant in the ground.
Sorry to hear about the breakage. That is frustrating. Unlike most plants, I never had luck starting a broken one of the orange stars in water or dirt...they usually get moldy and die. Could be I just didn't do it right. Friends have done well splitting the bulbs at the bottoms when they get the "mini" bulb growths. That is an easy way to fill in for next year.
I would put it in water until you see roots at least 3 to 4 inches long. Then plant it in new soil with a growing compound.
I received an orange star plant for Mother's Day May 12th. Can I transplant it in a bigger pot right now?
Yes, you can repot if you feel it is necessary.
Here is what one web site recommends:
"Repot the plant every spring to encourage new growth. Give it a little extra water and hold back fertilizer until the plant has fully adjusted to the new pot and soil. You will know that it has adjusted by seeing new growth."
www.gardeningknowhow.com/
Here is a link to answers from previous posting on ThriftyFun:
www.thriftyfun.com/
I purchased the orange star plant and am curious to know if the bulbs multiply?
Most bulbs do multiply. Every few years you must thin out your plants. Give the bulbs to others to enjoy in their gardens.
