About

A tough, drought tolerant, slow-growing, clump-forming, spiny bromeliad to around 25cm in height. Mature plants can produce a tall flower stem in hot summers with bright orange tubular flowers up to 90cm in height. It has rosettes of ghostly white to metallic grey recurved leaves, with barbs along their leaf margins.

About the genus

Dyckia is a genus containing species of varied habit, from compact perennials to larger woody plants. Members are valued in horticulture for their flowers, foliage, or overall form and are found in diverse habitats worldwide

Growing conditions

SunlightFull sun
Soil typeLoam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Neutral
Soil moistureWell-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH3

Plant details

Plant typeAlpine Rockery, Cactus Succulent, Conservatory Greenhouse
HabitClump forming
FoliageEvergreen
Height0.1-0.5 metres
Spread0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesArchitectural, City and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Gravel garden, Mediterranean climate plants, Patio and container plants

Care notes

CultivationPlant in slightly acidic to neutral well-drained soil incorporating coarse grit or perlite. Avoid waterlogging. See hardy cactus and succulent cultivation for further advice
PruningNo pruning required
PropagationPropagate by division of offsets or 'pups' at their base or propagate by seed
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to mealybugs and scale insects
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to powdery mildews or leaf spots