How to prune heart of fire

After flowering, once the mother rosette declines; dead-leaf removal any time. Wear gloves — the leaf margins are extremely sharp. Cut dead outer leaves at the base with heavy-duty sterilised scissors or loppers. Remove the spent central rosette at the base once surrounding pups are several inches tall.

Rarely — remove dead growth as needed; one-off rosette removal after bloom. Heart of Fire (Bromelia balansae) is a large, spiny, clump-forming bromeliad that needs very little deliberate pruning. Remove dead or damaged outer leaves with care — the serrated margins are sharp. After the central rosette flowers and dies, it will offset naturally; remove the dead mother plant once pups are established.

Wear gloves — the leaf margins are extremely sharp. Cut dead outer leaves at the base with heavy-duty sterilised scissors or loppers. Remove the spent central rosette at the base once surrounding pups are several inches tall.