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Urn Plant

4.7 out of 5 (16 experiences)

Survivor

Large, lush leaves

About Urn Plant

The Urn Plan is a tropical bromeliad, and one of the most popular ones in cultivation. The colorful blooms in the center of the plant are actually made up of pink 'bracts' and the plant only produces small purple 'true' flowers just before it dies. In the wild, they collect rainwater in the center of their bracts so next time you water, try to mimic nature and leave a small pool for them to drink! 💧

Taxonomy

Scientific name

Aechmea fasciata

Genus

Aechmea

Family

Bromeliaceae

Order

Poales

Also known as

Silver Vase Plant and Vase Plant

How to care for Urn Plant

💦 Water

How often to water your Urn Plant

Urn Plant needs 0.5 cups of water every 12 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Water 0.5 cups every
12

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

No Yes

Select the pot size

☀️ Light

Finding light for Urn Plant in your home

Urn Plant love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.

Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Urn Plant does not tolerate low-light 🚫.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Urn Plant in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Urn Plant

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Urn Plant: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Urn Plant after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Browse #UrnPlant

💡 FAQs

⭐ Difficulty Level

Urn Plant is generally easy to care for, though some plant parents report facing challenges with growing it. Check out the reviews down below to read more about their experiences!

How to Grow Urn Plant →

Benefits of Growing Urn Plant →

Common Urn Plant Problems →

Indoor Care Guide for Urn Plant →

Outdoor Care Guide for Urn Plant →

💦 Water Needs

Urn Plant thrives in dry soil and should be watered sparingly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Urn Plant Water Frequency →

Urn Plant Root Rot →

☀️ Sunlight Needs

Urn Plant requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Urn Plant Light Requirements →

Urn Plant Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →

🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Urn Plant is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.

💨 Humidity

Urn Plant prefers dry environments. Providing extra humidity or misting your plant allows water to linger on leaves, which can create the perfect environment for harmful types of fungi.

Urn Plant Humidity Needs →

🪴 Soil

Urn Plant does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!

Best Soil Mix for Urn Plant →

Best Pots for Urn Plant →

When and How to Successfully Repot Urn Plant →

What Are Healthy Urn Plant Roots →

💩 Fertilizer

Urn Plant grows very slowly and doesn’t require added fertilizer. Replacing your plant’s potting soil once a year should provide them with more than enough nutrition. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!

How Much and When to Fertilize Urn Plant →

🌎 Native Region

Urn Plant is native to Central, South America, and the Caribbean.

🌸 Flowers

Yes, you may see your Urn Plant bloom with the right amount of sunlight and water.

Urn Plant Flowers →

Is Urn Plant an Annual Plant? →

Is Urn Plant a Perennial Plant? →

Urn Plant Pollination Guide →

Common Urn Plant Flower Problems →

⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Urn Plant grows in a rosette pattern, with leaves neatly arranged in a circle. New growth will emerge from the center.

Urn Plant Lifecycle →

Urn Plant Size Guide →

How and When to Prune Urn Plant →

🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
Urn Plant can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 10a-11b. Find your local hardiness zone here.

Urn Plant Temperature Tolerance →

Urn Plant Hardiness Zones →

Landscaping Ideas with Urn Plant →

When to Plant Urn Plant →

How to Plant Urn Plant →

Where to Plant Urn Plant →

Winter Care for Urn Plant →

Best Companion Plants for Urn Plant →

Is Urn Plant a Weed? →

🌱 Propagation

Urn Plant can be propagated by division into new individual plants.

Check to see if there is more than one plant. In some cases they may still be beneath the soil surface. If you feel confident, you may remove the soil to check for baby plantlets below!
If there are multiple plants growing, unpot the plant and gently tug the plants apart, being careful not to disturb too many of the roots. They may be connected by large root segments which you may need to break to free the plantlet.
Pot up the new plant in well-draining soil
Repot the parent plant back into its original pot

How to Propagate Urn Plant →

🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Urn Plant, since they are very sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!

🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.

Common Bugs Affecting Urn Plant →

What Eats Urn Plant? →

Care Summary for Urn Plant

Urn Plant

Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 12 days

Placement

< 1ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say

Survivor 8

Large, lush leaves 5

Blooms easily 4

Fast grower 3

Browns easily 1

@Yesenia estrella valdes vitela

1 Plants

206 XP

San Bernardino, CA

11/10/2021

Its going to take some time to bloom but will be worth it!

Fast grower

Survivor

Urn Plant plant photo by Yesenia estrella valdes vitela named Oreo on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Sundust

21 Plants

1,545 XP

10/26/2021

Good hardy plant, love all the colors.

Survivor

Urn Plant plant photo by @Sundust named Cutie on Greg, the plant care app.

@@cierracarty

4 Plants

452 XP

Philadelphia, PA

10/07/2021

Blooms beautifully but unfortunately only once in its lifetime. Strong, easy to care for plant!

Blooms easily

Large, lush leaves

Fast grower

Survivor

Urn Plant plant photo by @cierracarty named Harper on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Petter

2 Plants

54 XP

Stockholm, Stockholms län

06/06/2021

Very cool looking flower!

Blooms easily

Large, lush leaves

Urn Plant plant photo by @Petter named Plant 1 on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Nerskine

14 Plants

3,643 XP

05/07/2021

The most chill plant I have.

Blooms easily

Large, lush leaves

Urn Plant plant photo by @Nerskine named Pinky Blinders on Greg, the plant care app.

@@sarah10orio

193 Plants

275,271 XP

Memphis, TN

04/18/2021

*These plants sit on my mantle in a west-facing living room. I water them when the soil is dry and swap them from one side to the other when I water them. I have never fertilized them.*

These plants and I tolerate each other. I leave them alone and they leave me alone. These are pups that came from a gorgeous bromeliad that I had almost three years ago. The mother plant was beautiful and pinkish-purple. Once she flowered, I couldn't bring myself to just toss her in the compost pile. She sat sadly on my piano for over a year and pushed out these two pups. I potted them when they were large enough to detach them from the mother plant.

The mother plant got worse over the next year and I finally said good bye to it. She left me with these two guys that have sulked on my mantle ever since. Maybe I'll fertilize them, then they might be happier. Until then, I think they are still holding a grudge that I composted their mother.

Survivor