The "cup" is the center of the rosette or tank from which the inflorescence emerges.

Many (but not ALL) bromeliads have evolved over the eons to make use of what small amount of water they get in the rainforest canopy by having special cells in the cup and on their leaves (the cells on the leaves are called trichomes) that can absorb water.

You should keep fresh water in the cup, if you are keeping it as a houseplant, take it to the sink or back door and dump the water weekly and put in fresh.

You should also water the soil around the plant...the plant DOES have roots and these need water too. Allow to dry between waterings. Don't keep soggy wet.

Ae. fasciata is more of a light to dappled shade plant wieh grown outdoors, the ones we plant out here go under tree canopy at the base of the trees usually. A place in the house in front of a bright window would be fine.

There really isn't any reason to transplant the plant to a new pot until it has made offsets sufficient to unbalance the smaller pot. Once a bromeliad blooms, that particular plant will go into decline and die off, but always makes one or more new plants (called pups) to take its place.

Hello! Your info on this plant is helpful. I wanted to add 1 question. Do you have any suggestions on planting the new shoots that come from the plant. I just noticed some on mine and they are about 2 inches tall now. I was afraid to move them until I found out more about it. I am not familiar with this type of plant at all, but I've had it for about 3 months now and it's doing great. Any advice is appreciated.

dont take pups until they are atleast 50% as large as mother plant

hello I have also received a Aechmea fasciata and I remember giving this plant to my Mother in Love Years ago... she said that it has never bloomed... and it has lost all of its silver color... I have not been able to find anything on this.

It was a pup off of my mother plant...which died. Only finding out later thats what they do and I had given all of my pups away (before the internet)

So question?????? how do I get this thing to be silver again? She only watered the soil and was in full morning sun.)

mom never blooms again she just withers away if no pups have formed ..the plant is done

Got great info on my Aechmea plant but still looking for an answer on how to remove pup and what to do when the pink flower in the center turns baige need answers