Rebecca, what popped off?

Yes, that's a pup. I just planted three yesterday that came off my Red Star and Pink Star. Like you, I was startled that they just fell off when I moved the pots. My Cryptanthus mother plants have already bloomed, so I can tell you they bloom from the center and not off a stalk. The original plant will keep producing pups from the leaf axils during and after blooming, so you'll get more than one. What I don't know is how long it takes the pups to root. This is my first time with them. I've read the mother plant dies after blooming, which makes sense because the bloom comes from the crown and it does not produce any more leaves after flowering. It doesn't happen immediately. Mine are both still alive.

Sorry- unable to respond here esterday w/ the web issues. Thank you both, I'll pot it up. Yes, the mother plant just bloomed & looks ragged now compared to a few months back. Also, should I wait till pup is rooted to water it?

the best way to root cryptanthus pups is to put them in slightly moistened long-fiber sphagnum moss into a closed plastic clam-shell. in good bright light, but not sunny. it'll prolly take a month or so to root. just drop a few drops of water once in a while so that moss does not dry up.

I tried rooting in moist perlite in clam shell, and it refused to take for 2mo! was quite limp too. I dunked it in water for 30min and then into LF sphag and just left it there for months: they are quite slow until they get bigger. 3 of mine are still in sphag after 1 year and doing fine. though now they are uncovered and in part-sun.

Hi Everyone.

Rebecca - Yes that is a pup (offset) and they do just drop off the Mother plant occasionally. You can just pot it up like any other bromeliad pup but as others have said above, they can be slow o root.

The main reason for this is that like any other bromeliads, they must be firm in the pot to produce roots. If they are able to move around, the roots will break off and not grow, and this applies to all bromeliads especially ones that are mounted on trees, they must be firm.

One of the easiest ways to hold these pups firmly in the pot is to put a rubber band over the top of the pup and around and under the pot. This will hold them firmly enough to allow the roots to grow and by the time it has rooted the rubber band will have disintegrated.

They don't like to dry out, so I water mine daily, but they are in a free draining mix which doesn't hold water. If the mix isn't free draining they will get "wet feet" and rot if the mix stays too wet.

All the best, Nev.