Year Round Color with Bromeliads

If you appreciate tropical style landscaping, one of the best ways to achieve an authentic tropical look is with bromeliads. As a group they are amazingly versatile and can provide year round color. Most varieties fair best in the shade, but there are some that do quite well in mixed light or even full sun! The often spectacular blooms last for month's and many varieties have very colorful leaves that are quite striking when they're not blooming. By using different varieties you can have bromeliads blooming in your garden every month of the year. They always provide interesting form and texture in a tropical garden.

They actually require minimal care. Most varieties need very little in supplemental watering. That's because bromeliads store their own water. The leaves actually form small reservoirs where water collects and is slowly absorbed by the plants. The roots serve more as anchors than as a way of taking up water and nutrients. That's why some types of bromeliads actually grow better hanging in trees than they do in the ground.

There are hundreds of different varieties. Consult a book or your local garden center to see which varieties suit your needs. The initial price of a bromeliads may seem a little expensive. They usually cost from $10 t0 $30. But with a little attention they will multiply and last for years. The individual plants bloom once and then slowly die. But before they die, they will produce several off shoots, often called "pups". About once a year you will want to cut away the old dead and dieing plants and separate the pups. In most cases the pups will start off as little sprouts near the base of the mother plant. In time they will put out root systems of their own. At that point you can separate them with a pair of sharp pruners. Some varieties are more prolific than others, but in a few years you should have plenty to give to friends or trade for other types that you don't have.

The only pest problem I have had with them is snails. They love to hide in the damp centers of the plants during the day and come out and eat the leaves at night. An occasional application of snail bait in the area usually takes care of the problem. Or if there are just a few, and you can find them, you can just pick them out. Other than that the only trick is to get the right bromeliad in the right lighting conditions. If you put shade varieties in the sun, they will sunburn and never look good. Ask your supplier for advice and when in doubt, it is better to ere on the side of too much shade. A little bit of liquid fertilizer, like miracle grow, once in a while keeps them in top condition.

Next time you are looking for a plant to give your garden a little spot of low maintenance color, consider bromeliads.