Temperature
60–80°F
Keep away from winter window glass and heating vents.
Scarlet star
Guzmania lingulata
Scarlet star wants bright indirect light and water every 7 to 14 days, once the central cup is empty. Non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Light
Bright indirect
LowMediumBright indirectDirect
An east window, or three feet back from a south one. Direct sun bleaches the bract.
Water
Every 7–14 days
Baseline for a 6-inch pot indoors. Check first: water when the central cup is empty, not on a schedule.
Humidity
50% and up
Wants 60%. Struggles in dry winter air.
Difficulty
Easy
Scores 2 of 5: Scores 2 of 5: water into the central cup rather than the soil, and flush it monthly so it does not stagnate. The plant flowers once, then dies and leaves pups — that is its whole life cycle, not a care failure.
Habit
Rosette
Grows to 12–24 inches. No support needed.
Non-toxic to cats and dogs
Eating a large amount of any plant can still cause mild stomach upset.
Detail for cats → Detail for dogs →
What each authority says
- ASPCA
- No record page found under any name tested.
- NC State Extension
- Entry exists and records no poison data.
Light
Bright indirect light. An east window, or three feet back from a south one. Direct sun bleaches the bract.
Water
Every 7 to 14 days in a 6-inch pot, when the central cup is empty.
Treat the interval as a starting point and the test as the actual instruction. Pot size, light level and season all move the number.
| Method | keep evenly moist |
|---|---|
| Test before watering | the central cup is empty |
Soil and potting
One part orchid bark, one part perlite, one part peat-free potting soil.
Repot roughly every 3 years, or when roots come through the drainage holes and water runs straight through without absorbing.
Common problems
Ranked by how often each turns out to be the cause for this species. Each links to a diagnosis page with the causes ranked for this species.
- Brown crispy edges monitor
- Root rot act today
- No offsets monitor
Pest and disease guidance for this species consulted at the Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, checked 2026-09-12.
Pests
Recorded for this species. Each links to identification and treatment.
- Scale insects this week
- Mealybugs this week
Propagation
Offsets in soil or bark. Roots in 28 to 70 days.
| Preferred method | offsets |
|---|---|
| Medium | soil, bark |
| Time to root | 28–70 days |
| Node required | No |
| Best season | Spring and summer |
Sources
- North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Guzmania lingulata (consulted; entry exists and records no poison data.) Checked 2026-09-12.
- Wikidata entity Q2710056 — taxonomy and entity identity.
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — Guzmania lingulata Accepted name; family Bromeliaceae. Checked 2026-09-12.
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder — Guzmania lingulata Pest and disease guidance. Checked 2026-09-12.
- Photograph: Wikimedia Commons contributor, Wikimedia Commons , CC BY-SA 3.0.
Compiled and edited by Tony Valcarcel · 2026-09-02
Tony Valcarcel is the editor and publisher of this database, not a horticulturist
or a veterinarian. Every fact above is drawn from the sources listed, and
toxicity severity is reported only where one of them stated it.
How this is sourced.
Last updated 2026-09-02