Bromeliaceae: characteristics, examples and care

Bromelias are plants of tropical origin that come from the jungles of Uruguay and the Andean lands, although their great ability to expand them today Central America and South America.

Bromeliaceae family characteristics

• Most bromeliast epiphytic plants. Here we explain more about epiphytic plants: what are, types and examples.
• They obtain their nutrients and water from the great moisture that the air loads in their tropical origin environments, although there is another group of bromelia that are planted in substrate.
• They are plants that they flourish once a year giving rise to inflorescences as characteristic and striking, such as the swords of Flor de las Tillandsias or the Briesias. In general they are reduced size plantsalthough the floral swords of some of them stand out in terms of the height they reach.
• The leaves of the bromelias are almost always of thorny edges, sometimes with patterns in them, and their leaves tend to form rosettes in different ways.
• These are perennial herbaceous, as almost always happens with tropical plants.
• As a curious fact, there is an endangered species, the giant bromelia Puya Raimondi, originally from Peru and Bolivia, which reaches heights of up to more than 10 meters.

We bring you some Examples of plants from the Bromiliaceae family That you can have at home. Among them we highlight:

• Bromelia Balansae This variety is cultivated, mainly because of its fruit that is used for the elaboration of refreshing drinks. In addition, they have a great ornamental value for the liveliness of their colors, hence it is also known as the heart of the flame and its rapid growth.
• Bromelia fasciatacommonly called silver vase, it is an annual plant that blooms once throughout its life stands out for having black thorns on the margins of its leaves and its impressive inflorescence of violet flowers. Do not worry that only it flourishes once to have the house since its flowers remain in perfect condition for several months.
• Guzamnia lingulataIt is an annual plant that, once its flowering dies in late summer. As a good epiphyte, it grows well on the bark of the trunks of the trees, hence it is used a lot for its ornamental value. His bracts of bright colors, mainly red and orange, give the place a unique tropical appearance.
• Tillandsia usneoids It is known in Spain as Spanish moss. It belongs to air bromilaceas since it grows attached to trees. To grow you need to have a good environmental humidity and a warm temperature. Due to this delicacy it is usually had as an interior plant.

Other examples of bromelia that you can have at home or garden are:

• Aechmea fasciata
• Billbergia Pyramidalis
• Bromelia Serra
• Neoregelia Carolinae
• Vriesea Splendens

These are the main care of Bromeliaceae:

• As with most tropical and epiphytic plants, the most important care when we deal with the bromelias is the Environmental humiditysomething that is not always easy to replicate in our homes.
• It is important water them between the leaveseliminating once a week the water that the plant accumulates between its cavities to prevent rot. To provide that moisture that needs so much, it is recommended to spray water on the plant regularly, especially in the warm months, although it must always be done with warm water, neither hot nor cold.
• Bromelias need a warm but not in excess. Its ideal temperature is between 21 ºC and 26 ° Cand although they can support temperatures of up to 15º C, they should never be exposed prolonged to environments above or below their ideal zone.
• As for the location, it is very important to keep them Sets from the air currentsespecially if this is cold. As they are plants that need environmental moisture and heat, the currents will dry them out and cool them quickly, being able to damage them severely.
• They also need enough lightbecause in their natural environment, when growing in trees drinks, they receive much more light than most tropical herbaceous. The full intense sun can damage them, but its abundant indirect exposure will do them a lot of good.
• The substrate is barely important, because they depend little or nothing at all, depending on the species, the nutrients of this. It will be enough to contribute a Light and very well drained soil, without excess nutrients They can damage their roots. It is common to grow them in glass containers with volcanic gravel, with a little water below and closing the container to give them moisture, although logically, it must be opened occasionally.

Here you can learn more about the care of bromelia plants.

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