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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 18, 2008

Neoregelia concentric

hybrid

This colorful hybrid can be grown in cypress mulch - it doesn't need soil. Small flowers form in the central cup, which should always have at least a small amount of water.

Portea

petropolitana extensa

Portea's not picky, it'll take full sun or shade. Growth from pup to mature plant is about two years. It produces a dramatic stalk of small grapelike flowers that may be lavender to pink and turn purple to gray as they age. As with many

bromeliads, once it produces pups, the mother plant dies and should be removed.

Aechmea

blanchetiana

Although many bromeliads prefer shade or dappled shade, blanche is a sun worshiper. Leaves may be green or orange-red to yellow-gold, depending on the amount of sunlight it gets. The striking bloom takes at least a month to form, but then stays for four to five months. Bromeliads have the longest lasting blooms of any plant family, Tom says.

Alcantara

reginae

A great choice for those who worry about plants taking over the yard, it grows very slowly and may take 25 to 30 years to bloom. Once it does, the mother plant dies. For obvious reasons, it's grown for the foliage. It likes filtered sun and will grow fairly large.

Penny Carnathan

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