About

A perennial forming an evergreen rosette of strap-shaped leaves to 45cm in length, striped with white and green, and suffused with crimson at the base. Violet flowers with red bracts appear in the centre.

About the genus

Neoregelia are evergreen, rosette-forming perennials with strap-shaped leaves, the inner ones often brightly coloured; small tubular flowers are borne in dense clusters with showy bracts, in the centre of the rosette in summer

Growing conditions

SunlightPartial shade
Soil typeLoam
Soil pHNeutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing, East-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH1B

Plant details

Plant typeHouseplants, Conservatory Greenhouse
HabitTufted
FoliageEvergreen
Height0.1-0.5 metres
Spread0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height5-10 years
Suggested usesPatio and container plants
Native toGarden origin

Care notes

CultivationUnder glass grow in epiphytic or terrestrial bromeliad compost in bright filtered light. Water freely with soft water when in growth and keep just moist in winter. Apply a low-nitrogen liquid fertiliser monthly when in growth. May be grown outdoors in gritty, leafy soil in an open site with partial shade or grow epiphytically in a tree
PruningSever spent rosettes at the bases
PropagationPropagate by seed sown at 27°C as soon as ripe, or separate offsets in spring or summer
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to scale insects
Disease resistanceGenerally disease-free