Description
A small, spiky plant with green foliage that turns cerise to fiery red at flowering. The flowers are bright pink and are nestled close to the leaves in the centre of the plant.
A very tough plant that adapts easily to growing in a wide range of different conditions. Aechmea recurvata var. benrathii copes with ease in coastal gardens with salt-laden winds, or inland gardens with extremes of heat, cold and frost and also in very dry, drought like conditions.
Equally at home growing in containers, in the garden or epiphytically.
Also commonly known as the False Tillandsia. The plant not only closely resembles a Tillandsia it will also grow very much like a Tillandsia.
This miniature plant will provide a blaze of colour in autumn and creates a stunning display when grown in a rockery over rocks or on decorative driftwood. This little gem should be in everyone’s collection.
Plant Care:
Tips for growing your plant successfully:
Light: Full sun to partial shade.
Soil: Generally Bromeliads which grow terrestrially, require good drainage and like to grow in soil which is airy and fast draining. We recommend the addition of compost or fine bark to the planting area. When growing your plant in containers, it is also important to ensure that your soil is light, airy and free draining. A combination of a good quality potting soil with the addition of either coco peat, pine bark or perlite is recommended.
Watering: Many Bromeliads are surprisingly water wise. When watering, water your plant thoroughly, then allow to dry out before watering again. Always ensure that there is water in your Bromeliad’s tank or cup. The frequency of watering will vary according to the season. Remember if you are unsure as to whether to water or not, rather keep the plant on a drier side as overwatering can lead to fungal problems which can kill a plant quickly. Plants grown epiphytically will require more frequent watering particularly during very hot spells.
Fertiliser: Use a balanced water soluble fertilizer at half the recommended strength once a month during spring and summer.
Temperature: A general growing temperature range for Aechmea is 7 degrees Celsius – 30 degrees Celsius. Aechmea recurvata var. benrathii is cold hardy down to a minimum temperature of -5 degrees Celsius.
Please Note:
The plant is currently growing in a 12 cm plastic pot and is near flowering size. It will be supplied bare root (without a pot or soil). Although our plants are grown under the same conditions and we carefully handpick your plant to ensure the best quality possible, no two plants are identical. Also the colours of plants can vary according to the season. The photographs of the flowering plants are for reference purposes only.
