Besides its ease of cultivation indoors, silver vase bromeliad is cherished for its pink inflorescence. Its ephemeral pale blue flowers quickly give way to colorful pink bracts that remain decorative for close to six months. Providing that you severed the offset at the right time - one-third the size of the mother with at least five well-developed leaves - it should be expected to bloom one or two years later. Other factors that influence bloom production are: inadequate sunlight, less than ideal temperatures, or poor nutrition. Locate your bromeliad in bright, indirect sunlight with a room temperature between 60 and 85 degrees F. Fertilize monthly with a diluted houseplant fertilizer mixed at half the recommended rate. Apply the fertilizer to the "cup" and over the potting media after the media has been moistened. Empty the cup occasionally to prevent the water from stagnating. If these cultural conditions have been met, reluctant bloomers can be strong-armed into flowering by exposing the plant to ethylene. This natural plant hormone is produced by ripening fruit and induces flowering. Enclose the entire plant in a clear plastic bag with a couple of ripe apples. Twist-tie the bag closed and place the bag in bright, indirect sunlight for a week to 10 days. Remove the plant, and in about one or two months a flower bud may appear.

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