Bromeliads

There are few - if any - tank bromeliads that have been demonstrated to be hardy in the UK.  A couple are perhaps on the horizon but need research, certainly many more should be tried in the west country.  However most of these will thrive outside during the frost free months and will add that extra air of exoticism to any 'jungle'.  Those broms that have been tried are the terrestrial ones that are generally extremely xerophytic in nature and demand similar growing conditions to cacti.  In the main these look like pineapple tops which will gradually offset to form colonies - sometimes extremely large ones, but they all surpass themselves in the 'gasp' column when they flower.  The link here is to a list of potentially cold-hardy bromeliads of all types.  Below is a selection of ones I know a fraction more about.

ABROMEITIELLA

A cute little plant that has 3cm rosettes comprised of sharply pointed, triangular, blue-green leaves that offsets like mad into dense mounded colonies.  When dry it will take very low temperatures, when rained upon during the winter, who knows ?  Drainage must be absolute. ( 1999 )

AECHMEA

Does any one have any of this ?  Wanna swap ?

Rumour control says this is one of the hardiest tank bromeliads.  To what temperatures ?  Don't know.  Is it in cultivation ?  Nope.  Can I get seed ?  Nope.  Hmm.

Another fable.  There seem to be a few cvs around of this, and any would be worth giving a try.

Another allegedly hardy brom, more terrestrial than tank but interesting.  It forms rosettes of narrow green, finely toothed leaves that colour a decent purple in the sun.  Offsets to form a good clump.  Inflorescence is a bright cerise pin cushion that appears in the centre of the rosette.  Dry conditions needed.  For what it is worth there are varieties of this var benrathii, which is smaller and compact, and var recurvata, which is larger, but none are commonly encountered.  ( 1999 )

BILLBERGIA

Nice little bromeliad this, with neat fresh green rosettes that offset into small colonies and really interesting nodding inflorescences ( see background picture ).  Needs a well drained spot in sun or shade, and seems to tolerate a good deal of cold to maybe -7°C or lower.

DYCKIA

This is a nice terrestrial brom. with a flattened rosette, maybe 20cm across, of marginally toothed leaves  that take on a dark purple tint in full sun.  The inflorescence is totally spectacular with dozens of bright orange bell shaped flowers opening in succession along a 75cm spike.  It needs a well drained position in full sun, and even then isn't outrageously hardy - at time of writing it has taken -5°C with only a little damage here. ( 1999 )

 

FASCICULARIA

There is a heck of a lot of confusion in the naming of fascicularias and to try to keep things clear in my head I still use the defunct names which I personally find more useful ( sorry RHS ). F. bicolor as I know it is the one to try to get, it is the hardiest of the bunch taking -15°C and soon forms a colony of manic-ly entwined wiry stems.  Each rosette is around 90cm across ( or more, including the withered dry leaf tips ) and at flowering time is flushed scarlet in the centre.  The inflorescence itself is like a raised pincushion of grey-ish bracts that house the small powder blue flowers which peek out.  It is a superb plant for exotic ground cover in sun or shade, and is less exacting in it's soil requirements than the other terrestrial broms.

This is the plant that is all over St Michaels Mnt, Tresco and municipal gardens everywhere in the west country.  It has even begun to naturalize in some areas.  It is very similar to F. bicolor but has shorter wider leaves that have more pronounced teeth along the margins.  The rosettes are are more distinct and less of a tangled mess; the inflorescence is very similar and the scarlet flushing of the leaves also similar.  The main difference is their hardiness as this plant will show leaf spotting at around -6/7°C.  Still nice, though, if you have the right spot for it.

HECHTIA

Something of an unknown quantity, I am hoping this will prove to be a relatively hardy plant in the UK but possibly not tried outdoors before.  It should take moderate cold, but water ?....The rosettes are absolutely stunning, like something from the set of the film 'Alien' with their almost shining silver-grey leaves with very conspicuously toothed margins that recurve so as to hug tightly whatever they are growing against.  Finger crossed.  ( 1999 )

Another newie, this should take cold without a problem.  Not quite as attractive as H. argentia but maybe stands a better chance of long term survival.  Rosettes are meatier, with more erect leaves that are less metallic looking.  Still a good plant, and I am hopeful it will do well. ( 1999 )

OCHAGAVIA

Lovely plant, this; a bit like a showier fascicularia.  The leaves have hooked spines along the margins like a puya, are a grey-ish green on the upper surface and sort of powdery grey beneath.  It offsets slowly and builds into fair sized colonies - at Tresco there is an enormous clump several metres across.  The inflorescence is a raised pink cluster of bracts with yellow centered pink flowers that poke up a short way.  It may be quite hardy, at time of writing my plant has taken -5°C ok. ( 1999 )

PUYA

A medium sized puya, with rosettes getting to 70cm across eventually forming large colonies.  Wicked, hooked spines on the leaf margins allow hands to pass into the centre of the plant ok but snag painfully on retreat - don't say I didn't warn you.  It is suggested this may be an adaptation to their harsh environment and these spines trap birds which die whilst impaled and then decompose, adding to the plant's sparse diet.  In any case it is a super addition to the perfectly drained cactus patch.  In flower it is simply breath-taking, the pike is 1.5m tall and it is studded with deep  metallic turquoise bells that have bright orange anthers protruding from them.  In the right growing conditions this plant should take quite a lot of cold - it continually survives in the west country. ( 1999 )

Almost identical to the above in every detail except scale - multiply by 1.5 to get a bigger plant and you have this fella.  ( 1999 )

A variable medium sized puya with grey-ish green hooked-margin leaves forming rosettes etc etc and a more open inflorescence of flowers that can be clear violet through amethyst to dirty blue.  May be hardy.  ( 1999 )

A seriously impressive plant.  Large and dangerously spiny rosettes reach over 1m across which also in time forms a short trunk.  Add to this it's tendency to offset and you get the picture.  In suitable conditions this plant will overtake the garden.   Flower spike reaches 2.5m, individual flowers are bright day-glow yellow-green interspersed with prominent spines.  Wow.  Should be pretty hardy as well to maybe -10°C or so, but as with all these terrestrial bromeliads it really does depend on how they are being grown.  ( 1999 )

A smaller puya with rosettes of more flexible ( but still spiny ) leaves reaching perhaps 40cm.  Offsets freely to make a small colony.  Inflorescence is sparsely dotted with large pale green bells - very pretty.  Not the hardiest plant - mine here was damaged at -5°C. (1999)

TILLANDSIA

I have been told this should be the toughest of the tillandsias, and so far has enjoyed every second of it's stay outside, flowering with blue flowers and   growing away quite vigorously.  (1999) 

Some authorities list this as synonymous with T. bergeri, and it is very similar but with slightly narrower sharper foliage and pink flowers.  So far so good, I was given a large clump of this chap and have left it out this winter and it seems to enjoy it.  Forms a densely confused colony of dianthus-like ( but hard and spiky ) foliage.  (1999)

Another one - attached to a rock and exposed to the elements and seemingly having fun.  One of the fatter air plants.  (1999)

Smaller than the above plants but pretty cute nevertheless, this one seems equally at home so far. (1999)

The familiar spanish moss, this is again ok so far in a sheltered spot outside ( and difficult for sparrows to reach as I reckon it would make perfect nesting material )  (1999)

 

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