Bromeliads

I have taken a liking to bromeliads.

They're hardy. They grow in or out of soil. As I read at the nursery, bromeliads THRIVE on NEGLECT. And many are quite stunning.

They flower a long time. Their growing and blooming season is all year.

You can't get more tropical than a Bromeliad!

At Palma Sola Botanical Park, the bromeliads have reproduced prolifically, so I'll need to manage these closely in our small space.

Facts I've gleaned that apply to all bromeliads I have in our landscape (as far as I know):
Bromeliads do not get their nutrients from roots. That's why they can be raised out of the soil (in a a trellis, for example). They get their organic material from the scoops of water that need to stay moist- enough matter gets in there that the plant can get what it needs that way.

Bromeliads bloom once, and they sprout "pups" that will bloom. I want to learn how to manage the parents after they bloom, so stay tuned. Do you separate the pups from the parents? Do they grow multiple pups of each? The pups feed off the parent until they develop independently. When they develop their own roots, they are getting ready for independence and will flower when they mature.

They don't need too much water. Keep a small amount in the cups, but don't overdo it. The cups are a small ecosystem with algae, organic material, and other life like frogs, insects, worms and snails.

Most bromeliads are native to Brazil.

There are about 3000 members in the Bromeliad family, called Bromeliaceae.

The pineapple is a bromeliad! Columbus brought pineapples back from the West Indies to Europe.

Spanish moss is a bromeliad!

As bromeliads mature, new leaves sprout from the center.

Bromeliads are sometimes known as "air plants" because the roots can be exposed to air. Air plants are usually in the Tillandsia genus, inside the Bromeliaceae family.

Here's a great video on how to split out pups from the mother: https://youtu.be/Pf92v6ZkxeI

My bromeliads:
Aechmea Del Mar

Aechmea Chantinii

Neoregelia Freddy

Neoregelia Paprika

Neoregelia Romance

Neoregelia Hannibal Lector

References :
Aechmea: Beginner's Bromeliad.

Interesting facts about Bromeliads

Tropical Rainforest- Bromeliads

Air plants and bromeliads

Ephiphytes and Air plants.