Aechmea racinae

RHS Plant Profile

Christmas jewels

RHS 1999

Conservatory Greenhouse Houseplants

A rosette-forming evergreen perennial with strap-shaped bright green leaves and arching racemes of small yellow flowers with persistent red sepals

Position

Partial shade

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 5–10 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline

Position

Partial shade

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing or East–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H1B

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Bromeliaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Aechmea are evergreen perennials forming funnel-shaped rosettes of strap-shaped leaves, with a terminal spike of tubular flowers often with colourful triangular bracts, followed by fleshy fruits
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: Brazil

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow outdoors as an epiphyte or in moist, gritty, humus-rich soil, in frost-free location. Under glass grow as an epiphyte or in epiphytic bromeliad compost in bright filtered light

Propagation

Propagate by offsets

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Sub-tropical
Low Maintenance

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to scale insects and mealybugs

Diseases

Generally disease-free