Silver Vase

bright indirect light (3-6 feet from a south or west window, or right next to an east window. Under a grow light, 6-10 inches away works well) from an east or west window is ideal. Avoid direct afternoon sun, which scorches the leaf tips and bleaches the silver banding. Too little light and the plant will not produce offsets or bloom. It adapts to fluorescent lighting if given 14 to 16 hours per day.

Tolerates average household humidity but genuinely prefers 50 to 60%. Brown leaf tips are usually a combination of low humidity and hard water. A kitchen or bathroom location helps. Light misting (note: misting does not actually raise humidity meaningfully. A pebble tray or humidifier is more effective) of the leaf surface is fine.

A light, fast-draining mix is ideal - orchid bark, a purpose-made bromeliad mix, or equal parts peat moss, pine bark, and perlite all work. The roots primarily anchor the plant rather than absorb heavy nutrients, so drainage matters far more than richness. Use a heavy ceramic or clay pot rather than plastic, as the plant is top-heavy and tips easily.

Mealybugs hide in leaf axils and under the edges of the rosette - check carefully during watering. Scale and spider mites occasionally appear. Overwatering the soil (as opposed to the cup) causes root rot. Brown leaf patches from direct sun scorch. A stagnant smell from the cup means you need to flush and refill more frequently. If the plant is not blooming and is over 4 years old, it may need a light ethylene treatment: place a ripe apple in the central cup, wrap the whole plant in clear plastic for a week, and remove - the ethylene gas from the apple can trigger flowering.