Bromeliads belong to a family called Bromeliacea and originate from South and Central America.
Bromeliads are tropical plants with brilliant, colourful foliage and long-lasting flower spikes that bring out the beauty in any home or garden. Many of these interesting and fascinating plants are epiphytes, and most of them make their anchorage in the nooks of trees in the rain forest. Bromeliads are divided into three main categories according to their growing charateristics:-
Terrestrial – grows in the ground eg, Guzmania
Epiphytic – air plants eg, Tillandsia
Saxicolous – grows on rocks eg, Cryptanthus
There are approximately 3000 Bromeliad species. Most of them would adapt well to pot culture. The larger Bromeliads produces rosettes of leaves that overlap at the base and make perfect water reservoirs. (That is, the centre of the base ‒ the urn ‒ will store water.) Heavy dew and rainfall will fill these urns when the plants grow in their natural habitat. They obtain moisture from their leaves rather than their roots.
Bromeliads make excellent house plants; their blooms last for months. Guzmania are often used in homes, offices and shopping malls.
Bromeliads like adequate light, filtered or indirect sunlight, and porous, organic soil. Plant them in a medium of leaf mould, coarse sand, charcoal and rocks.
Bromeliads like to be moist and you can fertilize them with Slow Release Osmocote Plant Food once per month.
Some popular varieties of Bromeliads are Aechmea, Ananas (Pineapple), Guzmania, Cryptanthus (Earth star), Bilbergia (Queen’s tear) and Tillandsia.
(To be continued)
Until next week, happy gardening!
