A terrestrial bromeliad that produces shaggy mounds of rosettes made up of tapering, slender, toothed leaves. At the centre of the clumps, leaves take on a strong red colouring in summer and in mature rosettes, produce heads of sky-blue flowers. Clumps grow to around 50cm in height
0.1-0.5 metres
0.5-1 metres
| Season | Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | ||||
| Summer | ||||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
Grow outdoors in terrestrial bromeliad compost or sharply-draining, gritty, humus-rich soil, in a sheltered, frost-free location. Protect from winter wet. Under glass grow in terrestrial bromeliad compost, full light and with good ventilation. During active growth water moderately and apply a high nitrogen-based fertiliser monthly. Water more sparingly during the winter
Propagate by offsets or by division in spring
No pruning required
May be susceptible to aphids
Generally disease-free