A Bromeliad is taking over my conservatory (Bromelia)

Member Name: mumsymary

Product:	Bromelia
Date:	12/02/06 (3611 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: easy to grow

Disadvantages: spiky

Bromelia, I expect some of you may have seen bromeliad in the work place office or have one as a houseplant. Generally they are easy to grow and care for.

Bromeliaceae is a family of plants with about 3000 species.

Let me first describe a Bromeliad you will be familiar with, it is the pineapple.

500 years ago or more Columbus found the pineapple in the Guadeloupe. This plant is native to Brazil and Paraguay. Columbus introduced this species to Spain and Within 50 years it was cultivated in India and other countries.

A pineapple, (Ananas comosus) although it probably will not fruit or will only grow 1 fruit is great fun to grow with children.
In late spring pineapples are fairly cheap so buy one to eat and slice the crown (the leafy bit at the top) off remove the pineapple flesh this will go mouldy if left on.
Slice the bottom of the stem and remove the lower part of the leaves.
Now leave the stem and leaves you have still attached that you have left in a dry place out of the sun for a week.
Put some potting soil in a pot and plant the base of the pineapple crown in it. Now water a little Pineapples does not like lots of water, water once a week and you can spray the leaves with a little water.
Pineapples like a lot of light and warmth. They need to be inside in winter but are ok on the patio in summer months.

The leaves grow in a rosettes are long spikes; narrow they do have a few sharp spikes on them.
You may get yours to produce a red / pink flower but this will take a few years. If your pineapple survives it may grow up to 4 or 5 feet in diameter and 4 foot tall.

The pineapple fruit once only eaten by the rich is now easily available in supermarkets cost about a pound. It is a good source of vit C.

Pineapples are the only Bromeliad that produces edible fruit. Some other Bromeliads are used for fibres one once used for upholstery stuffing.

There are many bromeliads one the basic Spanish moss which is not really moss but looks a bit moss like. This moss grows in the treetops it used the trees for support not nutrient. Spanish moss is an air plant and gets nutrients from the moisture in the air.
There are other bromeliads that can be kept as houseplants that are grown as air plants on shells or decorative stones.

A common Bromeliad is the one known as flaming sword it has thick tough,green leaves spiking 8 , 10 inches long and in the centre of the plant red floral spikes form up to 2 feet tall. Hence the name flaming sword as it looks like one. These leaves form a cup that fills with water drain of excess water and completely drain every week. These plants like light but not direct sun.

Yes Bromeliads are fairly interesting and easy to grow brighten up that office area

Now I have written this I think I shall go and buy a pineapple to eat and grow the crown its a while since I did one of them.

Sorry if I confuse by calling it Bromelia and Bromeliad but to clarify it for you

: bro·me·li·ad
Pronunciation: brO-'mE-lE-"ad
Function: noun
Etymology: New Latin Bromelia, genus of tropical American plants,
Basically its the same.

Summary: A family of plants including the pineapple